Uploaded August 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
San Diego, Convention center, Hall H, July 23 2026
One of the biggest surprises of San Diego Comic-Con 2026 came when Johnny Depp unexpectedly appeared in San Diego's Gaslamp Quarter, not as himself, but completely transformed into Ebenezer Scrooge. Wearing elaborate Victorian costume, extensive prosthetic makeup, a weathered top hat and carrying a cane, Depp wandered through Paramount Pictures' immersive "Ebenezer's Office" activation, greeting fans with a perfectly delivered "Bah! Humbug!" Many attendees walked right past him before realizing the mysterious old man was actually Depp beneath the remarkable makeup, turning the activation into one of the convention's most memorable and widely shared moments. Rather than relying on a traditional publicity event, Paramount created a live theatrical experience that blurred the line between performance and promotion while giving fans an unforgettable first encounter with the film's darker vision of Scrooge.
The excitement continued later that afternoon inside the legendary Hall H, where Johnny Depp once again appeared in character during the Collider Directors on Directing panel to introduce the first official trailer for EBENEZER. The presentation officially launched Paramount Pictures' worldwide marketing campaign and immediately established the film as one of the studio's biggest upcoming releases. Directed by acclaimed filmmaker Ti West, Ebenezer abandons the traditional festive tone associated with many adaptations of Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol in favor of a Gothic fantasy infused with supernatural horror, psychological tension and haunting visual imagery. The film's tagline, "The name you know. The story you don't," perfectly reflects its ambition to reinvent one of literature's most famous Christmas stories while remaining faithful to its central themes of redemption.
Written by Nathaniel Halpern and produced by Emma Watts, Ebenezer brings together an impressive cast led by Johnny Depp, alongside Ian McKellen, Rupert Grint, Andrea Riseborough, Sam Claflin, Daisy Ridley, Arthur Conti, Ellie Bamber, Tramell Tillman, Henry Lloyd-Hughes and Charlie Murphy. Shot across London, Dublin and the historic Dockyard Chatham in Kent, the production recreates Victorian London with extraordinary authenticity while combining practical locations with Ti West's distinctive Gothic visual style. Cinematographer Checco Varese gives the film an atmospheric look that emphasizes eerie supernatural encounters, shadow-filled streets and unsettling ghostly visions, presenting Dickens' classic from an entirely new perspective.
The first trailer highlights Johnny Depp's astonishing transformation into Ebenezer Scrooge while introducing audiences to a supernatural world that is darker and more frightening than previous adaptations. Rather than simply revisiting a familiar Christmas classic, the footage suggests an ambitious blend of Victorian ghost story, psychological horror and emotional drama, with terrifying spirits, unsettling imagery and moments of dark humor that have become hallmarks of Ti West's filmmaking. Paramount deliberately places Depp's remarkable physical transformation at the center of its campaign, demonstrating once again the actor's ability to disappear completely into an iconic character through extensive practical makeup and performance.
Following its Hall H premiere, the trailer immediately generated enormous attention online, attracting millions of viewers within its first days and becoming one of the most discussed reveals of Comic-Con 2026. Audience reactions largely praised the film's striking visual identity, the atmospheric Gothic tone and Johnny Depp's unrecognizable performance, while many highlighted Ti West's bold reinterpretation of Charles Dickens' timeless story. The combination of immersive marketing, a surprise live appearance and an impressive first trailer ensured that Ebenezer quickly became one of the defining stories of this year's San Diego Comic-Con.
Ebenezer will be released in French theaters on November 11, 2026, followed by Australia and Brazil on November 12, before opening across the United States on November 13, 2026. If the extraordinary response at SDCC 2026 is any indication, Paramount Pictures has successfully positioned the film as one of the year's most anticipated holiday releases, proving that nearly two centuries after Charles Dickens first introduced Ebenezer Scrooge, the legendary character can still surprise audiences with an entirely new vision.
San Diego, Convention center, Hall H, July 23 2026
One of the biggest surprises of San Diego Comic-Con 2026 came when Johnny Depp unexpectedly appeared in San Diego's Gaslamp Quarter, not as himself, but completely transformed into Ebenezer Scrooge. Wearing elaborate Victorian costume, extensive prosthetic makeup, a weathered top hat and carrying a cane, Depp wandered through Paramount Pictures' immersive "Ebenezer's Office" activation, greeting fans with a perfectly delivered "Bah! Humbug!" Many attendees walked right past him before realizing the mysterious old man was actually Depp beneath the remarkable makeup, turning the activation into one of the convention's most memorable and widely shared moments. Rather than relying on a traditional publicity event, Paramount created a live theatrical experience that blurred the line between performance and promotion while giving fans an unforgettable first encounter with the film's darker vision of Scrooge.
The excitement continued later that afternoon inside the legendary Hall H, where Johnny Depp once again appeared in character during the Collider Directors on Directing panel to introduce the first official trailer for EBENEZER. The presentation officially launched Paramount Pictures' worldwide marketing campaign and immediately established the film as one of the studio's biggest upcoming releases. Directed by acclaimed filmmaker Ti West, Ebenezer abandons the traditional festive tone associated with many adaptations of Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol in favor of a Gothic fantasy infused with supernatural horror, psychological tension and haunting visual imagery. The film's tagline, "The name you know. The story you don't," perfectly reflects its ambition to reinvent one of literature's most famous Christmas stories while remaining faithful to its central themes of redemption.
Written by Nathaniel Halpern and produced by Emma Watts, Ebenezer brings together an impressive cast led by Johnny Depp, alongside Ian McKellen, Rupert Grint, Andrea Riseborough, Sam Claflin, Daisy Ridley, Arthur Conti, Ellie Bamber, Tramell Tillman, Henry Lloyd-Hughes and Charlie Murphy. Shot across London, Dublin and the historic Dockyard Chatham in Kent, the production recreates Victorian London with extraordinary authenticity while combining practical locations with Ti West's distinctive Gothic visual style. Cinematographer Checco Varese gives the film an atmospheric look that emphasizes eerie supernatural encounters, shadow-filled streets and unsettling ghostly visions, presenting Dickens' classic from an entirely new perspective.
The first trailer highlights Johnny Depp's astonishing transformation into Ebenezer Scrooge while introducing audiences to a supernatural world that is darker and more frightening than previous adaptations. Rather than simply revisiting a familiar Christmas classic, the footage suggests an ambitious blend of Victorian ghost story, psychological horror and emotional drama, with terrifying spirits, unsettling imagery and moments of dark humor that have become hallmarks of Ti West's filmmaking. Paramount deliberately places Depp's remarkable physical transformation at the center of its campaign, demonstrating once again the actor's ability to disappear completely into an iconic character through extensive practical makeup and performance.
Following its Hall H premiere, the trailer immediately generated enormous attention online, attracting millions of viewers within its first days and becoming one of the most discussed reveals of Comic-Con 2026. Audience reactions largely praised the film's striking visual identity, the atmospheric Gothic tone and Johnny Depp's unrecognizable performance, while many highlighted Ti West's bold reinterpretation of Charles Dickens' timeless story. The combination of immersive marketing, a surprise live appearance and an impressive first trailer ensured that Ebenezer quickly became one of the defining stories of this year's San Diego Comic-Con.
Ebenezer will be released in French theaters on November 11, 2026, followed by Australia and Brazil on November 12, before opening across the United States on November 13, 2026. If the extraordinary response at SDCC 2026 is any indication, Paramount Pictures has successfully positioned the film as one of the year's most anticipated holiday releases, proving that nearly two centuries after Charles Dickens first introduced Ebenezer Scrooge, the legendary character can still surprise audiences with an entirely new vision.
