Ti West’s reinterpretation of “The Christmas Carol” could mean a return to the A-league of the film industry for the actor.
Johnny Depp seems to be back among the Hollywood stars: After his messy and controversial legal battle with his ex-wife Amber Heard, Paramount is apparently ready to give the actor a new chance. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Depp and the studio are in “final negotiations” for him to star in Ti West’s film adaptation of Charles Dickens’ classic “A Christmas Carol.”
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Charles Dickens’ classic story has been retold many times over the years. In the new adaptation, directed by Ti West, Depp is set to play the title role of Ebenezer in Ebenezer: A Christmas Carol. Paramount describes the project as a “thrilling ghost story set in Dickens’ London that follows the supernatural journey of a man who confronts his past, present and future and fights for a second chance.”
The role couldn’t be more fitting for Johnny Depp
The role of Scrooge seems tailor-made for Depp. In the past he has particularly shone in eccentric and daring character roles – most famously as Captain Jack Sparrow, but also as the Mad Hatter in Tim Burton’s “Alice in Wonderland”.
For the actor, this is one of his biggest roles since his success in the libel lawsuit against Amber Heard in 2022. Since then, the film industry has slowly started to open doors to him again: the 54-year-old recently finished filming the Lionsgate film “Day Drinker” alongside Penélope Cruz.
This is also the second Christmas film announced this year. Warner Bros. also has an adaptation of Dickens’ Christmas Carol in development, directed by Robert Eggers, and starring Willem Dafoe in the role of Scrooge. The Paramount version starring Johnny Depp is scheduled to hit theaters on November 13, 2026.