Ti West’s Ebenezer trailer is out, and we get our first look at Johny Depp’s Scrooge, whom we will get to know as Ebenezer rather than his last name. Note that Scrooge is the more common way other characters in the original A Christmas Carol addressed him, especially in formal Victorian England, where people called each other by their surname.
Ebenezer is used less frequently in the original novella but is often used in adaptations or discussions to emphasize the character’s personality.
Plot details of Ebenezer (2026)
According to the official synopsis, Ebenezer would be a ghost story set in Dickens’ London, where the supernatural journey of Ebenezer Scrooge would be highlighted. His past, present, and future would remain in the spotlight as he fights for his second chance at redemption.
Watch Depp as Ebenezer in the new trailer here:
Why was Ebenezer looking for redemption, you may ask? Ebenezer was a cold-hearted, greedy miser who hated Christmas, valued money over people, and even thought poor people should work in workhouses, be in poorhouses or prisons, or rather be dead than be a burden on society. He was visited by three ghosts who helped him undergo a profound moral transformation.
Director’s vision for the film
Ti West (Pearl, MaXXXine) reimagines Dickens’ novella as a dark, supernatural psychological horror fantasy. Rather than delivering a festive holiday tale of a merry transformation, West’s distinct vision treats the story as a chilling, atmospheric reckoning.
His recent direction of episode 6 of Widows’ Bay (2026), which grabbed 19 Emmy nominations, can be a preview of how he might approach Ebenezer. The episode reinforced West’s ability to keep fantastical elements grounded in believable human reactions, as it was a pure background story of the town’s haunted past. Most of the story was filmed in a cabin with a black-and-white screen, which fits well with his tactic of drawing horror from character psychology rather than from external threats. Without a glimpse of a single monster, the episode is a classic example of how fog-filled Victorian streets and atmospheric dread in simple spaces could become a ghostly threat for human survival.
Most of West’s background lies in horror. The House of Devil (2009) and The Innkeepers (2011) exhibit horror that lingers. Characters’ emotions like ambition, guilt, isolation, trauma, aging, and identity become sources of the protagonist’s dread. The same could serve as a bridge to Ebenezer, where an intimate descent into his redemption and life choices could expose audiences to his emotions and moral dismay.
What is Ti West’s Ebenezer trailer really hiding?
Johnny Depp’s casting may be the headline-grabber, but Ti West’s decision to transform A Christmas Carol into what looks like an uncompromising gothic horror film is the trailer’s most surprising revelation.
The trailer implies that Ebenezer isn’t simply retelling Charles Dickens’ classic story. Instead, it appears to reinvent it with gothic fantasy elements, elaborate production design, and modern filmmaking techniques that haven’t been used in Dickens’ previous story adaptations.
Several musical, animated, and live-action versions, including Scrooge (1951), A Christmas Carol (1938), Mickey’s Christmas Carol (1938), The Muppet’s Christmas Carol (1992), and A Christmas Carol (2009), have been attempted. But there is something different about Ti West’s version.
Instead of relying on the horror imagery alone, it features grand Victorian sets, supernatural effects, and striking cinematography that make the film feel like a fantasy epic rather than a conventional ghost story.
Though Depp’s return after several years naturally attracts attention, the trailer quickly shifts focus to the world, story, and lavish visual presentation. With Depp, expectations have certainly gone high, but the film itself has captivated us due to its whimsical feel and sweeping visuals that leave us wanting more.
When is Ebenezer (2026) releasing?
Paramount Pictures will distribute Ebenezer (2026) in theaters on November 13, 2026.
Genre: Dark fantasy, comedy, drama, horror
Cast: Johnny Depp, Rupert Grint, Andrea Riseborough, Daisy Ridley, Sam Claflin, Ian McKellen
Director: Ti West
Writers: Charles Dickens, Nathaniel Halpern
Producer: Emma Watts
Release date: November 13, 2026
Movie runtime: – –
Passionate Entertainment Writer | Trusted Pop Culture Voice
Madiha Ali is an experienced entertainment writer with over five years of expertise in covering movies, TV shows, celebrity news, and pop culture. Her bylines appear on trusted platforms like The Rolling Tape, Screen Anarchy, High on Films, Ary News, The Express Tribune, Tea and Banter, Show Snob, CelebFeedz, Snapfeedz, Daily Planet Media, The Irish Insider, and Movie Insiderz.
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