Johnny Depp bets on Scrooge role in Ebenezer for Hollywood comeback
Johnny Depp plays Scrooge in Paramount's Ebenezer, his first big Hollywood studio film in eight years. The film opens on November 13 and will test whether he can still sell tickets after his court fights with Amber Heard.
"It's good to be back," Johnny Depp says in the trailer for Ebenezer. He plays Charles Dickens's miserly Scrooge in the film. The Guardian reported that it is his first big Hollywood studio production in eight years. For years, legal battles with his former wife, Amber Heard, overshadowed his career. Paramount is leaning on Depp's past. The trailer opens with nods to Captain Jack Sparrow, Edward Scissorhands and the Mad Hatter. Then it declares: "The master of misfits returns." Depp, 63, has also fronted the marketing himself. He showed up as Scrooge at San Diego Comic-Con in July. This week he appeared in character in New York's Bryant Park. There he disrupted carol singers and knocked over a Christmas tree. Early signs look good for the studio. An August report by the website Puck said a test screening in New Jersey scored the film 80 out of 100. The reported historical average is 72. Depp himself scored 86. Women over 35 were the most positive. Test scores, however, do not guarantee box office success. Industry analysts see the film as a test. Robert Mitchell of Gower Street Analytics said Ebenezer would be a bellwether for Depp's bankability. He said Depp sells best in larger-than-life, almost grotesque roles like those he played for Tim Burton. David A Gross of the FranchiseRe newsletter said stars are worth little in the wrong role. He pointed…
Read more 3 min read