Johnny Depp’s Ebenezer Earns $1.5M in Preview Screenings

Johnny Depp stepped back into a major studio lead with Paramount’s “Ebenezer,” collecting $1.5 million in preview screenings that began at 2 p.m.

Paramount Stakes $38 Million on Depp Return

The PG-13 adaptation of Charles Dickens’s 1843 novella carries a production budget of $38 million alongside a $50 million marketing spend, according to Variety. Before directing this holiday ghost story, West had never made a family film. His star, Johnny Depp, hadn’t appeared in a major Hollywood role in eight years and was publicly fired from the “Fantastic Beasts” franchise in 2020 following allegations of abuse from his ex-wife, Amber Heard. Depp later won a defamation suit against Heard, who has been absent from the movies for three years.

While taking a step back from Hollywood during his domestic abuse trial, Depp stayed busy working abroad on indie and international projects, starring in the 2020 drama “Minamata,” the 2023 period piece “Jeanne du Barry,” and directing the 2024 biopic “Modì, Three Days on the Wing of Madness.” His next project is set to be Lionsgate’s revenge thriller “Day Drinker” with Madelyn Cline and Penelope Cruz, slated for a March theater release.

Depp takes on the title role of Ebenezer Scrooge in what trade trackers view as a test of his drawing power following a multi-year absence from major Hollywood releases.

Alongside Depp, the ensemble cast features Rupert Grint as Scrooge’s employee Bob Cratchit, Ian McKellen as Jacob Marley, Daisy Ridley as Fred’s wife Clara, Sam Claflin as Scrooge’s nephew Fred, Andrea Riseborough as the Ghost of Christmas Past, Tramell Tillman as the Ghost of Christmas Present, Robert Strange as Christmas Yet to Come, Arthur Conti, Ellie Bamber, Henry Lloyd-Hughes, and Charlie Murphy.

Box Office Tracking and Demographics

Paramount anticipated an opening weekend of $20 million domestically, accompanied by an equal $20 million haul across international markets. Boxoffice Pro forecast the feature to land at No. 1 for the November 13–15 frame across more than 3,500 North American locations.

The film follows the story structure known from elementary school, where the greedy miser Scrooge is visited by the ghost of his colleague, Jacob Marley, followed by three more apparitions on Christmas Eve that guide him out of his avarice and into the holiday spirit.

Ticket sales on Friday reached $7.1 million including previews, prompting studio updates as family audiences emerged on Saturday. Paramount lit the wick for this non-franchise comeback at San Diego Comic-Con with the three-time Oscar nominee’s surprise method actor appearance that brought fireworks to the event.

Highlighting the picture’s family appeal, the AMC Disney Springs served as its highest grossing location with close to $25K, while the AMC Waterfront 22 in Pennsylvania stood out as a top grossing venue with $13K.

Audience exit polling registered an A- CinemaScore alongside a 65% definite recommendation on Screen Engine/Rentrak’s PostTrak. Demographic data showed 48% Caucasian, 28% Latino and Hispanic, 12% Black, and 6% Asian American attendees, with older viewers comprising a substantial share, including 37% over 45 and 40% in the 18-34 set, leaning 52% female with women over 25 as the biggest demographic.

Paramount Positions Film Against Upcoming Hunger Games Release

Paramount positioned the release as a counter-programming entry ahead of Lionsgate’s upcoming holiday weekend tentpole “The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping,” which many believe has a shot to open big.