Johnny Depp’s return to the big screen keeps rolling, and this time he’s stepping into one of the most iconic roles in literary history. In A Christmas Carol, Depp takes on the role of Ebenezer Scrooge in a new adaptation directed by horror filmmaker Ti West, and according to co-star Rupert Grint, fans are in for something special.
After a turbulent few years that saw Depp exit several high-profile projects during his legal battle with Amber Heard, the actor has been carefully choosing his next moves.
Playing Scrooge in a Charles Dickens classic might seem traditional on the surface, but with West at the helm, this version sounds anything but ordinary.
Grint recently spoke about the project and didn’t hold back his enthusiasm. He said:
“It’s going great. It’s obviously a story that everyone knows, and there’ve been lots of adaptations in the past, and this just feels very different. It feels very faithful, but it has Ti’s signature on it, and Johnny’s amazing. He’s doing some really interesting things.”
“Amazing” and “interesting” are two words that fit Depp pretty well. Over the years he’s shown he can completely vanish into a character, whether he’s playing the gentle outsider in Edward Scissorhands, the darkly driven barber in Sweeney Todd, or the conflicted young man in What’s Eating Gilbert Grape? He builds something strange and specific with the characters he plays.
That’s what makes the idea of him as Scrooge so compelling. Ebenezer Scrooge has been portrayed countless times across film and television, often leaning into warmth or whimsy by the final act. But let’s not forget that Dickens’ original story is, at its core, a ghost story. That’s where Ti West comes in.
West, known for his work in the horror genre, seems like a fascinating choice for this material. His films often carry an eerie edge, and applying that sensibility to Scrooge’s haunted Christmas Eve could push this adaptation into darker territory.
For horror fans, the thought of the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present, and Yet to Come treated with genuine unease sounds pretty cool.
Depp isn’t the only heavy hitter in the cast. The film also stars Andrea Riseborough, Sam Claflin, Tramell Tillman, Daisy Ridley, and the legendary Ian McKellen. Grint admitted he had a moment of awe working alongside McKellen, saying:
“He’s so iconic.”
McKellen has tackled Shakespeare, Marvel, Middel-earth, and Dickens before, including a role in the BBC adaptation of David Copperfield. He brings gravitas to pretty much anything he’s in, and pairing him with Depp under West’s direction makes this ensemble feel especially intriguing.
With a classic Dickens tale, a horror director’s touch, and Depp putting his own spin on Scrooge, A Christmas Carol is shaping up to be one of the more unexpected holiday films on the 2026 movie schedule.
Whether Depp’s performance lives up to Grint’s description remains to be seen, but it’s hard not to be curious.
The film hits theaters on November 13, 2026, and if this creative team delivers, Christmas might come with a little more chill this year.
