Johnny Depp returns in Ebenezer, a Christmas Carol retelling that is long and slow
Ti West's Ebenezer stars Johnny Depp as Scrooge; Le Devoir's critic praises the production design and calls the film mostly boring.
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Johnny Depp stars in the title role of Ebenezer, a 2026 retelling of Charles Dickens's 1843 novella A Christmas Carol, directed by Ti West from a screenplay by Nathaniel Halpern.
Le Devoir's critic found the production design remarkable: Dickensian London, its streets and gothic atmosphere, fully realized, with credit to Eve Stewart (visual design), Matt Sharp (art direction), Catherine George (costumes), Checco Varese (cinematography), Barrie Gower (Depp's prosthetics) and Tyler Bates (music).
The same review calls the film too long and very slow, and says its script follows the original so closely that it adds nothing new. Depp's performance, stylised in the vein of Jack Sparrow, the Mad Hatter and Edward Scissorhands, is described as the core of the film. The supporting cast, including Rupert Grint, Ian McKellen, Sam Claflin, Daisy Ridley and Andrea Riseborough, is called competent but pushed into the background.
The critic argues the film mostly distils boredom, and that the horror moments inserted to wake viewers are too intense for younger audiences and not enough for genre fans. The review places Depp alongside notable screen Scrooges such as Alastair Sim and George C. Scott.
The details
Who directed Ebenezer and who wrote the screenplay?
Ti West directed Ebenezer, a 2026 retelling of Charles Dickens's 1843 novella A Christmas Carol, and the screenplay was written by Nathaniel Halpern.
Who stars in Ebenezer?
Johnny Depp stars in the title role of Ebenezer as Scrooge. The supporting cast includes Rupert Grint, Ian McKellen, Sam Claflin, Daisy Ridley and Andrea Riseborough.
Who worked on the look of Ebenezer?
Eve Stewart handled the visual design of Ebenezer, Matt Sharp was art director, Catherine George designed the costumes, Checco Varese shot the cinematography, Barrie Gower created Johnny Depp's prosthetics, and Tyler Bates composed the music.
