# 'Cancelled' star Johnny Depp is making a big Hollywood comeback

> **Open Intelligence Dossier** · First detected: 2026-11-12 16:40 UTC · Category: Entertainment

## Executive Summary
Johnny Depp's first major studio film since his defamation trial, the horror-tinged 'Ebenezer,' opened to largely negative reviews and a 50% Rotten Tomatoes score.

## Intelligence Brief
Johnny Depp stars as Ebenezer Scrooge in 'Ebenezer,' a new adaptation of Charles Dickens' 'A Christmas Carol' directed by Ti West, marking his first major studio release since his 2022 defamation trial against ex-wife Amber Heard. The film, which also stars Ian McKellen, Andrea Riseborough, Tramell Tillman, Rupert Grint, Sam Claflin, and Daisy Ridley, is currently playing in theaters.


Critical reception has been predominantly negative. According to Yahoo, the film holds a 50 percent approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes based on 70 reviews and a 47/100 score on Metacritic. IndieWire's David Ehrlich wrote that Depp's performance is "an advent calendar of empty affectations without a soul to anchor them, every shot full of face and bereft of feeling," adding that "He seems to have become very bad at acting." Consequence's Liz Shannon Miller compared Depp unfavorably to Michael Caine's turn in 'The Muppet Christmas Carol,' writing that Depp "utterly fails at capturing Ebenezer's transition towards kindness; it's just the same performance, with a bit more goofiness in the mix."


TheWrap's Amelia Emberwing criticized Nathaniel Halpern's screenplay, stating its "attempts at humor are all whiffs" and citing its "reliance on second-screen dialogue that has zero faith that its audience will be looking up from their phones." Vulture's Alison Wilmore noted the overall film is "pretty good" aside from Depp, who she says is "doing a tiresome variation on the mugging that's become his primary approach to acting ever since the role of Captain Jack Sparrow." RogerEbert.com's Matt Zoller-Seitz called the film "skillfully done" with "retro-classical style" but said Depp's "standard Marlon-Brando-in-latex bag of tricks is all wrong for a work of such delicacy."


Some reviews offered qualified praise. Variety's Guy Lodge wrote Depp "makes for a perfectly solid, by-the-book Scrooge — with occasional moments of ripe inspiration in his line readings," though he noted the movie is "too frightening for many children and too old hat for many adults." The Hollywood Reporter's Frank Scheck wrote that while the film "doesn't break any new ground," it "fulfills its ostensible goal of restoring the actor to A-list status," adding that Depp's "charisma and star power eventually come through." Yahoo also reported the film is eyeing a $22 million opening weekend, which would be Depp's first No. 1 debut in eight years.

## Multi-Source Evidence Table
| Source Outlet | Headline | Verification URL |
|---|---|---|
| The Times | Ebenezer review — Johnny Depp makes his bid for redemption | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMikgFBVV95cUxPRHRjcEJYeXZvcDVtREN2WGp6dE4tZ2NTS3JfMFdnd2VyMHR4aThJVWtKeEctTEFjTThjX2tkei14NmFFcUstN2Z2SllrZXA1UDY5RGh4TEhnVXdHU3RKckp4ZDhKNHFPa3ZQRnpKTHhzOVI2ZUpSVHdCNUh5TmdKcmM5RjdZa1JsQ1FKZndSYjRvUQ?oc=5) |
| Los Angeles Times | Review: Johnny Depp’s mean-spirited ‘Ebenezer’ makes a holiday classic unfun for the whole family | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMi2AFBVV95cUxPanlZR2hNWmVWU05kdkJHQ3Z2a1RoWkJyNmZHX0s2aGQ1MGo0Vkg0c0NkUUpSaHUyX0s2cUdtVjJXNUhPWVN5bGY3ZTV1d1kyT2gyWnFWbUY5ZjVXNjlJWlc4NUpvX0g3eVVLTEtoZlplRmwzai1HWjl6cGtYbmptNTlKaDdzakVlUXp6VHJRNmZFRDQyTFhHYUFMRERQNENDVUZGbW9hNlFUeWdQODZEUFExdW5ZeGlXQ1BvZ1lnSFNhTGRmX2NwYXhkczRubEFGZnRkOU1PU1g?oc=5) |
| WSJ | In ‘Ebenezer,’ Johnny Depp Seeks Redemption in the Guise of Scrooge | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMijAFBVV95cUxPZmMyWUkyQ0JwcXF1a0NlUTg3bmFvNGR3X2JwRm8xMVNjWUNJSWxWeXk0ZXRYTElGUHlSd0VzOVVEbUgzV1p1N0l3Q3BRejk3dmdPamt6LUwyd01TdFFaSnNzRHhQSWMyc05NMV9uZWYwR2E4YVlJMnVxQkk1MmZienBnZzJ4ZHZCVFhFMA?oc=5) |
| The Independent | Johnny Depp is a problem his comeback film cannot overcome – review | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMipwFBVV95cUxNSzJFWUMzeVVlRFNMN2JTXzYySXZEdktudEc0MDBVSDI2MkdERTVPVEVOa3pGQkxNZXZtRFNheUVFOWxKY180YkJfZHBZejRkMlVLX3hldFNKRVdYR2hYYk95elJoTjE4S0xYZ1VvZzJsTm54eUptM1pTdUpieDA3SEE1TFJRYlVWa1Qzb3lIVGtIQmRYWk1IWE5DeEs2S01jQjNKb1JUVQ?oc=5) |
| Yahoo | Johnny Depp’s comeback leaves critics cold in first “Ebenezer” reviews | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMipAFBVV95cUxQTHppS05scVBLX2M3d2FTaDBfNWRQZ1E0anZ5N2dLSnNGRFV3dXBzdXpjU0x6NzN5OXg2d3BEMTdKaVdCYm1OZ01ONWp4czFfVHYtM3FKTFVwYzNhSzZzT21heVRIbDJPeEZBdjFoZnJ3eXNVYWh6eU1Qd3JvalBQSlRZUUJDaXhRVVp0OUl0ZXFXSTlwdnJIWDFuVFdLMnJSc1U2Nw?oc=5) |
| NBC 5 Chicago | Roeper's Reviews: Chilling, at times disturbing version of ‘A Christmas Carol' | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMi4AFBVV95cUxPUkd6a0pGQUZxSUN2MUJ0aEZYNGktLXYtZFVnM2JhVjRNUGNMbUpJSUMzZldFajlENUMwbnBpa3M0UmpGU3lyWk1iTFUzYkU2dmh6RDB3LWdCZndVbHVYNG9uSTVnZjFNMkdKTzZIeUJpTGJJMFFtcXdjNHRSZklFeERHcTEzY2NsdTc4R0tTemFQRXpNdVdkUks5MHAzdm84Q0UtNmZoYXdZTU91LVZUSE1seFp1Um9zWFptczdaLThHZnJfN0JlOWpLZUVNQnNXb1JoTlhzTWJoemdEczZiWtIB6AFBVV95cUxOVWtucGFJUUdYZzEybUNBaUNMdkdyN0VKM29wamlaRE5IbTR3RmxjNzBFR2NoczM4U3A3Z1pUbXhuMEVZMUh1TldTaktzNzBFZTBoRHRBLWpIRkwtVDQybmNyRG5VV2RxLUQyY3dvU0FjdjI) |
| The New York Times | ‘Ebenezer’ Review: Holiday Humbug | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMif0FVX3lxTE9rN2hIUDFXTGpFR2x3ZkNBa0tOcm1URkR2d2RtMVhCUWdBTmphLUg4RXpkLXc2QUJKbEJrV0xhMUdkZG02MXZrQy0zcncyTnR3Uk05bUl5UkE2MGhmb2Z4Rll6elhhazAtWjFjY2RQQy05WFlhb2Z6MjQtOXBEaHM?oc=5) |
| The Hollywood Reporter | ‘Ebenezer’ Reviews Roundup: Johnny Depp’s Comeback Gets a Chilly Reception | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMilwFBVV95cUxQaUQya0xIaDNScDl1WTJlSXYxRURQVmNPZmlONzdDRGFsVjB0VnJqbW40WlNPZHNXT2tkOEJkYkkycFRZTW00Qy1PV3RPUHY4LUYzRUg0c014MmJjWWVDbWs0X1FWWXBoSzdURFdlUUtkS3ViOGVsa2NSbXVqbFI2aklZbWdvbDVKU1h5enhFTkV2RUk2YkRv?oc=5) |
| Vulture | Review: Johnny Depp Is the Worst Part of ‘Ebenezer’ | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMijgFBVV95cUxPNjZqdGU5VmFfbEpBNUJwRDRwa05kQUJrcWgwS0hqR0FaX3RidE51amdGaXp4eHJyRU5td0RsbXBOWmNrdkJTMFlwRk9ZZC1fN1YySGJQQzlkZUR3Sml5RG91Vm1lS0pZVm5LZHY3NGtkQkV0WWh3OEVUczZPUkxBUGxta3c2YlM4VmcxTGNR?oc=5) |
| The Conversation | Johnny Depp returns to the screen as Scrooge – Dickens might have some notes | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMirgFBVV95cUxPWGFaRThNSTkyclVHUTUxak5vWmU2am53b2wyaEo1UndaS2xXaUFQOThnS09relU3amJJYzJtb0d3SmFzNkJ3ZzVEVld0SXVtXzNTc2d2djdlQTE4M1pPdEZJYU51TjNpd0dhRS1UQ2dGc2lTVExJV04yUVNQd2daV1YtSjlNc1FFc0E5QXl5ZVpCQjZvRkEyaE9zU3RUN093aHBpd21QcXJTVVlsY1E?oc=5) |
| WSJ | ‘Ebenezer’ Review: Johnny Depp Steps Into Scrooge’s Slippers | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMipgFBVV95cUxPLUlTR2UyVEttblM1OVJWM0huREZBNFZrVm5TVm83am9VNG1tRGhwckIwM1pNdTFzcGdIb3V2UFZ4bjNaV2tHVGVHT0h0MUJnRVJxLWFwb1d3X2hxR0JDV3NBazdyNlFCT3pvN0l4RWYyMVJSd0VYay1KdnNSdnpHY3RtWUhSSER6N3B5aC1TRVp0LUhqWG15N1JLamtZQWhqNzNvckd3?oc=5) |
| Yahoo | Johnny Depp’s ‘Ebenezer’ eyes $22M and his first No. 1 in eight years | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMitgFBVV95cUxOc3N5cGw1X19Xb1ZQT1J5Nk1OX3djek85VmFGT3dNUUNTYVJZekJ6R0luUExXaGhkemRDLThfNWdRdXNZY3hfOEwzc0lVUjR3Y3ZlZ1ZZd3RFZW9rVFVPdFgwVVdIQlczR0VqWFNHSVlzZHIwdDNlQlZVbGxqajRmN2tJVHk3WVpxSlY4WkxYd0VWNHNUaHJ5RzZlVHp4cmhFUkkyMVFLbXBVVkVRRm0wam1iYmltdw?oc=5) |
| Yahoo | Johnny Depp’s spooky Scrooge might be the comeback he’s been waiting for | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMioAFBVV95cUxNblBVVHp4SG5NWThscWRreFVRcFNzajk2VmF6WkQ2NUpJS2pHbFk0RkwtYnFEX05aOWRjVzVrRXB5RkhLRzNfQTRxWlJFT1hSYWI0TXN4OHFyWktXeDJjMlV1UXpGVFRiUGh3YmhJUEFMMnRYMkNpbXRWZm10OEEtMUpOV1NnUEkxeHFnMS1CTDFYc3kyR1E4UG13Zldicy1M?oc=5) |
| Deadline | ‘Ebenezer’ Review: Johnny Depp Blissfully Goes All Scrooge In Ti West’s New Horror-Flavored Take On Dickens Christmas Classic | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMimgFBVV95cUxNVzhsVXk4Rl9xamFXSjhEd3o4S0RxY3J1U2dPcjVHQU1meVUxUUZtYkxmTzRXNHNqVVhKX1hydlpWR0xxM3FHSmZUVFBXV0xoTzJDdkswaE5zTExqQm05MU1jVlczVFhqRnNJd0xCQXVjQlBRTjRBazNVNnZkTFZIVF81SUs2Nkc3aDJVS3ZqZ1NyZ0UxQ2JRN09n?oc=5) |
| The Boston Globe | Johnny Depp’s empty turn as ‘Ebenezer’ is blah! Humbug! | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMic0FVX3lxTE5XMUlPeFpyUEFuNF92RXgyWm9mZTR2MEw3RTNHbHhCTGlub2ZheHFrZF9DZ2lwWXA5UWRQcVFiR09PM2tWS19WbFQ3Z0VnUV9PeUQ4bFJiTUtBTTVrc3N2NGFLRHFkdkVndU9RaVdSaU5nVVk?oc=5) |

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*Canonical Source: https://pulse.byoaiapps.com/trend/2026-11-12/cancelled-star-johnny-depp-is-making-a-big-hollywood-comeback*