Johnny Depp (63) made an unannounced appearance at Comic-Con in San Diego on Thursday. The actor showed up in full Ebenezer Scrooge costume to promote his new film "Ebenezer: A Christmas Carol". This was reported by the trade publication "Deadline" and the U.S. magazine "People", among others.
Beneath a top hat, gray beard, and a prosthetic nose, the star was barely recognizable. Depp leaned on a walking stick and remained in character throughout his entire appearance.
For his appearance, Paramount Studios had constructed a British Christmas village from the 1880s in San Diego's Gaslamp Quarter, complete with a replica shop bearing the sign "Scrooge and Marley". It began with singers in Victorian clothing performing Christmas carols, as "Deadline" describes. Then Depp appeared in the shop window and shortly afterward stepped through the store entrance.
In front of the building, spectators had already been gathering for more than an hour. They called out questions and greetings to him, including a "Good day, Mr. Scrooge". His response stayed in character: "What's so good about it?"
Surprise in Hall H
Panels were not officially scheduled for Depp. Shortly afterward, he according to "Deadline" nevertheless took the stage in Hall H, where the portal Collider was hosting its "Directors on Directing" panel. With a candle in his hand, he limped to the podium, handed it to director John Francis Daley, and asked the crowd: "Don't you have lives? No obligations?"
Afterward, Paramount released the first trailer. In it, Depp's Scrooge addresses the camera and says: "It's good to be back." The opening credits sequence recalls the actor's earlier roles, including Jack Sparrow and Edward Scissorhands.
First major studio film since 2019
The new adaptation is directed by Ti West, with a screenplay by Nathaniel Halpern. The project was announced in October 2025 as a dark ghost story set in Dickens-era London, in which a man confronts his past, his present, and his future. The 1843 source material has been adapted for film dozens of times.
Alongside Depp, Ian McKellen plays Jacob Marley and Rupert Grint plays Bob Cratchit. Andrea Riseborough plays the Ghost of Christmas Past, Tramell Tillman plays the Ghost of Christmas Present. Sam Claflin and Daisy Ridley are also part of the cast. For Depp, this is his first major Hollywood production since "Waiting for the Barbarians" from 2019.
McKellen spoke about the collaboration in April with "Variety". His colleague was in brilliant form, the British actor said: "Lively, witty, irreverent, serious - all at once." Although he was only on set for six days, Depp created an exceptionally warm atmosphere there. The U.S. theatrical release of "Ebenezer: A Christmas Carol" is scheduled for November 13, 2026.
