Johnny Depp Stunningly Transforms Into The Scrooge In First Set Photos Of A Christmas Carol Adaptation

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Johnny Depp at the 4th Edition Of Red Sea Film Festival

Published Feb 1, 2026, 8:05 AM EST

Rianna is the Movie News Editor for ScreenRant. After earning her BA in Film Studies, she began her career as an entertainment writer, contributing to several publications before joining ScreenRant. Her dissertation on the impact of streaming on traditional cinema sharpened her focus on the ever-evolving world of film and media. With 6 years in the industry, Rianna continues to cover the stories she loves while also advocating for awareness and representation of rare disabilities, such as Moebius Syndrome, which she lives with.

Johnny Depp has completely transformed into the iconic Christmas character everyone knows and hates (at first), Ebenezer Scrooge, for Ti West's adaptation of the classic Charles Dickens novel A Christmas Carol.

Depp has been quiet on the acting front following his public lawsuit with his ex-wife, Amber Heard, in which she accused the actor of abuse, and the case really shone a light on Depp. His last major movie role was in Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald as Grindelwald, so West's upcoming adaptation will mark a significant resurgence for the actor.

Ebenezer Scrooge looks angry in A Christmas Carol 2009

Leaked set photos from the Daily Mail show Depp completely transformed into the grumpy Scrooge alongside Andrea Riseborough as the Ghost of Christmas Past. Depp is dressed in a blue overcoat and a black cap, with grey sideburns and eyebrows, and the 63-year-old actor looks completely unrecognizable.

West is known for directing horror movies titled X, Pearl, and MaXXXine, and the new Christmas Carol adaptation has been described as "a thrilling ghost story." Nathaniel Halpern (known for Legion) will be writing the script, and Emma Watts will be producing. This certainly isn't the first adaptation of the classic 1843 novella, with as many as 400 adaptations created, ranging from silent movies to animated shorts and feature films.

It was also announced last year that Robert Eggers (Nosferatu) would be writing and directing a Christmas Carol adaptation for Warner Bros. with legendary actor Willem Dafoe as the top contender to star as Scrooge. The classic story shows an elderly, grouchy man named Scrooge as he is visited by the ghosts of Christmas Past, Present, and Future, so the man can see that his life and the choices he's making are hurting him and those he loves.

The first photos of Depp in this new role show him in a whole new light, as the actor is known for roles such as Captain Jack Sparrow in the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise, as well as Willy Wonka, Mad Hatter, and Ichabod Crane, so this isn't the first time the actor has completely transformed for a role.

Ebenezer: A Christmas Carol is set to release on November 13, 2026.