Bah Humbug… and Blood? Johnny Depp to Star in Ti West’s Dark Take on A Christmas Carol

Get ready for a holiday season with a healthy dose of horror. In one of the most unexpected—and intriguing—announcements of the year, it has been confirmed that Johnny Depp is in final negotiations to star as Ebenezer Scrooge in a new adaptation of Charles Dickens’ classic, titled Ebenezer: A Christmas Carol, which will be directed by modern horror auteur Ti West.

This is not your typical festive fare. The combination of Depp’s eccentric star power and West’s signature stylistic horror promises a version of the beloved story that leans heavily into its spooky, supernatural roots.

A Horror Auteur Tackles a Classic Ghost Story

Ti West, best known for his critically acclaimed, retro horror trilogy (X, Pearl, and MaXXXine), is trading the dusty backroads of Texas for the foggy streets of Victorian London. While A Christmas Carol is universally known as a tale of redemption, it is, at its heart, a ghost story. The film’s logline confirms this dark direction, describing it as:

“A thrilling ghost story set in Dickens’ London, following one man’s supernatural journey to face his past, present and future and fight for a second chance.”

West’s filmography is built on atmospheric tension, slow-burn dread, and meticulous period detail, which makes him a surprisingly perfect fit for Dickens’ chilling tale. Expect the appearances of Jacob Marley and the three Ghosts of Christmas to be genuinely unsettling, moving away from the often-sentimental portrayals and back toward the frightening specters of the original novella.

Depp’s Return to a Major Studio Role

For Johnny Depp, who is reportedly set to play the titular Ebenezer Scrooge, the film marks his return to a starring role in a major American studio production after a multi-year hiatus.

Depp is no stranger to playing complex, haunted, and deeply eccentric characters in period settings, from Ichabod Crane in Sleepy Hollow to the infamous Sweeney Todd. His unique acting style is well-suited to capturing the bitter, miserly nature of Scrooge, as well as the character’s eventual, profound emotional breakdown and transformation.

The film will also co-star Oscar-nominee Andrea Riseborough in an undisclosed role. The screenplay is being written by Nathaniel Halpern, known for the moody, sci-fi atmosphere of his series Tales from the Loop.

A Clash of Christmas Carols

Adding to the excitement, this isn’t the only dark take on the Christmas classic in development. Acclaimed director Robert Eggers (The Witch, The Northman) is also working on his own version, reportedly with Willem Dafoe eyed for the role of Scrooge.

This sets up a fascinating creative rivalry: two of modern cinema’s most celebrated, distinct horror filmmakers going head-to-head with their respective visions of the same source material. West’s version, Ebenezer: A Christmas Carol, is aiming for a November 13, 2026, theatrical release from Paramount Pictures.

The question is, will West’s atmospheric, shocking style be able to deliver a horror-tinged holiday movie that stays true to the spirit of the season? We’ll have to wait until 2026 to see if the pairing of Depp and West is a Christmas miracle or a haunting nightmare. In either case, it promises to be one of the most talked-about adaptations of all time.