Johnny Depp's Ebenezer Scrooge Movie Dropped First Look, And People Can't Get Over His 'Unrecognizable' Transformation

We’ve seen Johnny Depp totally transform on numerous occasions. From Edward Scissorhands to Pirates of the Caribbean to Alice in Wonderland to Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, he’s been unrecognizable in quite a few of his most iconic roles. Now, he’s done it again for Ebenezer: A Christmas Carol, and people have had big reactions to his “unrecognizable” look.

The release of Ebenezer: A Christmas Carol will mark Depp’s big return to blockbusters following the tumultuous legal battle he was in with Amber Heard. The film, which is being directed by Ti West and will be released on the 2026 movie schedule on November 13, will see Depp in the titular role, and based on the reactions to the first footage from CinemaCon, he’s a good fit for it, as @CaseyMLoving posted:

It will be interesting to see how this all plays out. Ti West is best known for his horror films, like X and Pearl. So, I’ll be curious to see how his background impacts this take on the classic Christmas tale.

Meanwhile, Depp has not appeared in a mainstream blockbuster in years. So, watching him back in action is sure to be an event. The fact that he’s fully transformed himself into Scrooge adds another level of intrigue to this career move, too.

Overall, it seems like people are excited about this project and the part Depp is playing in it. As we know from his work, he is no stranger to fully transforming for a part, and it would seem that the first footage for Ebenezer proves that he’s done that once again, as @TinaLocklair posted:

Now, alongside Depp, Ebenezer will also star Ian McKellen, Daisy Ridley, Rupert Grint, Tramell Tillman, and many more. It’s a truly stacked cast set to tell this timeless tale, and according to the Harry Potter actor, Depp’s take on the lead character is “amazing” and “interesting”.

The people who saw the footage seem to be in agreement, too. For example, @SLTAngst, who is “a Muppets Christmas Carol purist” (you can stream that one with a Disney+ subscription), said that Depp’s transformative performance looks flawless:

Well, if anyone can mix horror, humor and drama, it's Depp.

Along with these takes, Brent Lang from Variety noted that the footage really did highlight how Depp has turned himself into this old, grumpy curmudgeon:

Well, I certainly cannot wait to see Depp’s take on this iconic character. During the presentation, the actor said that playing Scooge has been “an extraordinary privilege.” It’s clear he cares about this, and based on how people are reacting to the footage, that’s evident on screen too.

Now, we’ll just have to wait to see this unrecognizable transformation for ourselves when Ebenezer: A Christmas Carol hits theaters on November 13.