Overview
- Johnny Depp surprised fans by appearing fully in character as Ebenezer Scrooge in San Diego’s Gaslamp Quarter and then joining a Hall H presentation to show the first trailer, a stunt that took place Thursday and lasted roughly 30 minutes of fan interaction.
- Paramount built a period ‘Scrooge and Marley’ storefront for the activation and kept the appearance under wraps to create a viral, experiential marketing moment tied to Comic‑Con.
- The film, Ebenezer: A Christmas Carol, is directed by Ti West and is being presented as a darker, gothic period take on Dickens with location shoots in UK sites and a high‑profile ensemble that includes Rupert Grint, Daisy Ridley, Andrea Riseborough, Sam Claflin and Ian McKellen.
- Multiple outlets reported that the first U.S. release date is November 13, 2026, and one source credited prosthetics designer Barrie Gower and makeup supervisor Rocky Faulkner for Depp’s transformation while noting those credits come from more limited reporting.
- The stunt and trailer reveal are being read as a clear sign of Paramount’s backing for Depp’s return to major studio filmmaking after several years of legal battles and Europe‑based projects, a development that could reopen large U.S. studio opportunities for the actor.