Johnny Depp’s ‘Ebenezer’ Officially Earns Glowing First Reactions as Critics Hail His Hollywood Return

Nairavoice | Nov 10, 2026 44m ago 61 0 6 min read

Johnny Depp’s ‘Ebenezer’ Officially Earns Glowing First Reactions as Critics Hail His Hollywood Return

Following his high-profile legal battle with his ex, Amber Heard, which dominated headlines and altered the public perception of both, Johnny Depp wisely took time away from the spotlight, having now been away from a major Hollywood production since 2018’s Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald. However, this month, the man behind Captain Jack Sparrow is back, headlining Ti West‘s Ebenezer, the latest project based on Charles Dickens‘ iconic 1843 novella.

Looking to add the iconic Ebenezer Scrooge to his pantheon of memorable characters, Depp already made a surprise appearance in character during Collider’s Directors on Directing Panel at San Diego Comic-Con, setting the wheels in motion for his potentially glorious comeback to the Hollywood spotlight. Ahead of the film’s scheduled release by Paramount Pictures on November 13, 2026, the first response from critics is officially in, but what exactly are they saying about Depp’s return?

“Johnny Depp is magnetic throughout Scrooge’s soft redemption arc leading to a finale that delivers more emotional resonance than its predecessors,” wrote UK Film Critic Phil Roberts, who was one of many impressed by Depp’s typically energetic performance. Ebenezer is a “wickedly fun holiday treat and strong comeback vehicle for its star,” according to FilmSpeak’s chief film critic, Tom Chatalbash, adding that “Depp is a fiendish delight as Scrooge.”

Not every critic was blown away by Depp’s comeback. Critic Ren Vieira said that “nothing’s distinct or unique about this version,” adding, “it’s just Depp doing cooky Scrooge, nothing more than his old tricks.” Critic and writer MaryAnn Johanson said the film was “Utterly superfluous,” with Robert Ortiz saying, “the film commits 2 sins of being forgettable and just boring, especially if you’ve seen a Christmas carol before.”

You are drawn to the moral clarity of a universe where hope itself is a form of resistance.
You’d find your people in the Rebellion, a ragtag coalition of true believers held
together by conviction more than resources.
Star Wars is fundamentally a story about ordinary people choosing to matter in an
extraordinary conflict, and that is exactly your kind of story.
The Force may or may not be with you. But the will to use it for something larger than
yourself certainly is.

The Mandalorian and Grogu brought Star Wars back to cinemas in 2026, the first theatrical
entry since 2019.
Star Wars: Starfighter, with Ryan Gosling, follows it as the next film on the slate.

Middle-earth is a world of ancient wonder, deep friendship, and a darkness that only
retreats when enough small acts of courage accumulate.
You would thrive here because you value the fellowship more than the glory, the road more
than the arrival.
Tolkien’s universe rewards patience, loyalty, and the willingness to carry something
heavy across a very long distance.
Those are not burdens to you. They are simply how you move through the world.

The Rings of Power returned for a third season on Prime Video in November 2026.
Andy Serkis directs The Hunt for Gollum, now dated for December 2027.

The Wizarding World is a place of wonder hidden in plain sight, where learning is
transformative and the bonds you form at school follow you into everything that comes after.
You would flourish here because you take both the magic and the friendships seriously, and
you understand that one without the other is incomplete.
Harry Potter’s universe ultimately rewards those who choose to stand for something even
when standing is terrifying.
That choice, made quietly, without guarantee, is something you understand completely.

HBO’s series adaptation is dated for 2027, with Dominic McLaughlin as Harry.
It is built to run one season per book, which gives it roughly seven years of story.

Westeros is a world that rewards intelligence, adaptability, and the willingness to
understand that every alliance is also a negotiation.
You would survive here, possibly thrive here, because you don’t confuse the world as it
is with the world as you’d like it to be.
Game of Thrones is a story about what happens when the idealists and the realists collide.
You are sharp enough to know which one lasts longer.
Winter always comes. You are already prepared.

A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms opened HBO’s 2026, premiering in January.
House of the Dragon’s third season followed it, making 2026 the busiest year Westeros
has had since the finale.

Star Trek is a universe where the questions matter as much as the answers, and where
encountering something utterly alien is cause for wonder rather than fear.
You would belong here because you are fundamentally optimistic about what intelligence and
decency can achieve, while being honest about how hard that achievement is.
The Federation is the universe’s most ambitious thought experiment: what if we got
better?
You don’t just hope that’s possible. You think it’s the only thing worth
working toward.

Starfleet Academy premiered on Paramount+ in January 2026, with Holly Hunter and Paul
Giamatti.
Strange New Worlds returned for a fourth season that July, moving visibly closer to the
original series.

What Is Johnny Depp Making Next?

Image via Paramount Pictures
Image via Paramount Pictures
Image via Paramount Pictures
Image via Paramount Pictures
Image via Paramount Pictures

ebenezer-johnny-depp-ian-mckellen-1 Johnny Depp’s ‘Ebenezer’ Officially Earns Glowing First Reactions as Critics Hail His Hollywood Return

ebenezer-andrea-riseborough Johnny Depp’s ‘Ebenezer’ Officially Earns Glowing First Reactions as Critics Hail His Hollywood Return

ebenezer-sam-claflin Johnny Depp’s ‘Ebenezer’ Officially Earns Glowing First Reactions as Critics Hail His Hollywood Return

ebenezer-sam-claflin-johnny-depp-daisy-ridley-2 Johnny Depp’s ‘Ebenezer’ Officially Earns Glowing First Reactions as Critics Hail His Hollywood Return

ebenezer-johnny-depp-andrea-riseborough Johnny Depp’s ‘Ebenezer’ Officially Earns Glowing First Reactions as Critics Hail His Hollywood Return

Image via Paramount Pictures
Image via Paramount Pictures
Image via Paramount Pictures
Image via Paramount Pictures
Image via Paramount Pictures

Following the release of Ebenezer, the Depp comeback train is only just starting its journey. On March 26, 2027, Depp will star in Day Drinker, an action thriller directed by Marc Webb, who will be hoping for his own comeback after helming the disastrous live-action Snow White remake in 2025. Depp will star alongside Madelyn Cline (Outer Banks), upcoming Oscars hopeful Penélope Cruz (Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides), and Manu Ríos (Elite) in Day Drinker.

For all the latest updates, make sure to stay tuned to Collider.

Ebenezer

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Johnny Depp
Ebenezer Scrooge
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Ian McKellen
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Fred
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