First Trailer for EBENEZER: A CHRISTMAS CAROL Reveals Johnny Depp as Scrooge
Christmas is getting a strange new makeover this year, and honestly, it looks like it could be a lot of fun. Paramount Pictures has dropped the first trailer for Ebenezer: A Christmas Carol, director Ti West's twisted, dark comedy-inspired spin on Charles Dickens' timeless holiday classic.
The movie also made a big splash during San Diego Comic-Con, where Johnny Depp showed up to help launch the film's promotional campaign ahead of its theatrical release this fall.
West has spent years building his reputation with horror favorites like X, Pearl, and MaXXXine, so seeing him tackle Dickens might sound unexpected. But after watching this first trailer, it actually feels like a surprisingly natural fit.
The movie leans into the supernatural side of A Christmas Carol while mixing in plenty of humor and a larger-than-life holiday spectacle filled with ghosts, eerie Victorian atmosphere, and one especially grouchy Ebenezer Scrooge.
Depp steps into the role of the iconic miser as "A stingy, penny-pinching, cantankerous, lonely old man whose sheer miserly nature leads him to despise Christmas & all things which engender happiness."
The film's tagline perfectly sums up what West is aiming for: "The name you know, the story you don't." Set in Dickens' London, the story follows Scrooge through his unforgettable supernatural journey as he's forced to confront the ghosts of his past, present, and future while fighting for one final chance at redemption.
“It's still the classic ghost story audiences know, but West appears to be giving it a fresh personality that feels darker, weirder, and a whole lot more mischievous.
The supporting cast is packed with talent, including Rupert Grint, Andrea Riseborough, Sam Claflin, Daisy Ridley, Arthur Conti, Ellie Bamber, Henry Lloyd-Hughes, Charlie Murphy, Tramell Tillman, and Ian McKellen, who takes on the fitting role of Jacob Marley.
The trailer offers an entertaining first glimpse at the film, showing off lavish production design, creepy ghostly encounters, and plenty of holiday chaos.
It doesn't look like West is trying to reinvent A Christmas Carol as pure horror. Instead, he seems to be embracing the fantasy, comedy, and gothic elements to create something that feels unique while still honoring Dickens' beloved story.
West directs the film from a screenplay by Nathaniel Halpern, whose previous credits include Resurrection, Outcast, Legion, and Tales from the Loop. The movie is produced by Emma Watts for Paramount Pictures and Green Bean Pictures.
Paramount Pictures will release Ebenezer: A Christmas Carol exclusively in theaters on November 13, 2026.