Ti West’s Ebenezer debuts first teaser as Johnny Depp surprises Comic-Con crowd

Johnny Depp surprised San Diego Comic-Con crowds on July 23, appearing in full costume to unveil the first teaser trailer for Ti West‘s Ebenezer, Paramount’s horror-tinged adaptation of A Christmas Carol arriving in cinemas this November.

TL;DR

• Johnny Depp, in full Scrooge costume, walked into Hall H to debut the Ebenezer teaser.
• Director Ti West gives Charles Dickens’ 1843 novella a darker, horror-inflected retelling.
• The ensemble leans heavily British, with Rupert Grint, Daisy Ridley, Ian McKellen, Sam Claflin and Andrea Riseborough all in the cast.
• Ebenezer opens in US theaters on November 13, 2026, per Paramount Pictures.

Depp returns to Hall H in full Scrooge costume

Depp made his way through San Diego Comic-Con in a nose prosthetic, black cape, top hat and cane, according to a report from TechTimes. He then introduced the first official footage from Ebenezer, the character he plays in the film, to a packed room.

The surprise appearance was widely read as another marker in Depp’s ongoing return to major studio work, following years of litigation and strained ties with Hollywood, as Collider noted in its coverage of the reveal. Paramount is now positioning the film as one of its higher-profile late-2026 theatrical releases.

Ti West brings his horror instincts to Dickens

West, the director behind the X trilogy, is best known for pairing genre horror with a specific era-appropriate visual style. The studio’s marketing line for the new film — “The name you know, the story you don’t” — signals a less traditional take on the Scrooge story, with screenwriter Nathaniel Halpern also credited on the project.

Quick facts
Director’s prior trilogy box office	~$45.5 million combined (X, Pearl, MaXXXine)
Source: The Playlist
US release date	November 13, 2026
Source: The Playlist, Collider

UK talent anchors the ensemble

Much of the supporting cast draws directly from British acting talent. Rupert Grint and Daisy Ridley play Bob Cratchit and Emily Cratchit, Ian McKellen appears as Jacob Marley, and Sam Claflin and Andrea Riseborough round out the principal roles, according to the film’s official credits shared at Comic-Con. Tramell Tillman also joins the cast as the Ghost of Christmas Present.

When and where to watch Ebenezer

Paramount has confirmed a US theatrical date of November 13, 2026. The studio has not yet announced a separate UK release date; Paramount’s recent theatrical titles have typically opened in UK cinemas within days of their US debut, though that pattern is not guaranteed here. Screen & Story will update this piece once UK distribution details are confirmed.

For more on how Paramount’s slate is taking shape this year, see our coverage of the studio’s regulatory scrutiny in the UK and how other filmmakers are reworking holiday classics for new audiences. Readers interested in horror directors taking on beloved properties may also want our piece on A24’s Texas Chainsaw Massacre reimagining.