Last Updated on November 10, 2026 by Fadra Nally
Johnny Depp returns to the big screen as the title character in Ebenezer, based on the Charles Dickens story we all revisit this time of year.
To be frank, I’ve never liked anything written by Charles Dickens. Heavy on exposition and light on action. But I’ve always made an exception for his holiday-centric novella A Christmas Carol.
Not only do I make an exception, but it’s one of my favorite holiday stories. Notice I said stories and not movies. (You can actually find my top 5 Christmas movie list here.)
There have been many incarnations of A Christmas Carol over the years, some better than others, and everyone seems to have a favorite.
While the story was published in 1843, the first film adaptation dates back to 1901, with more than 100 screen adaptations since. Surely there’s room for one more.
Enter Ebenezer, a new, darker version of the story starring Johnny Depp as the title character and directed by Ti West, known primarily for horror films.
So what’s a horror director doing with a Charles Dickens story? Here’s where it gets interesting.
Ti West and Johnny Depp both share an interest, or perhaps an obsession with the original story. But the real question is… do they bring something new to it? And will this version become a new classic?
A Familiar Story with a Darker Twist
If you’re a traditionalist, you’ll be happy to know that this version follows the original story extremely closely, even down to much of the dialogue. So don’t expect it to be bastardized in any way (thankfully).
Depp plays Ebenezer Scrooge with just the right balance of mean-spirited humor and curmudgeonly grumpiness that we expect from our protagonist. And the rest of the cast is spot-on. Rupert Grint shines as Bob Cratchit, Ian McKellen brings Jacob Marley to a new level, and Tramell Tillman is refreshing to see on the big screen as the Ghost of Christmas Present.
But this isn’t just an updated cast telling the same old story. There are changes, and while some work, others don’t.
Let’s start with what Ti West does best… horror.
The film opens with a look at the lives of two miserly business partners, Scrooge and Marley. This isn’t something included in the original story, but on screen, it makes a huge contribution to the next scene, when Ebenezer is visited by the ghost of his former partner.
Coming face-to-face with someone who’s been dead for seven years is terrifying, and we feel that in this version. Marley (played by McKellen) is an angry, impatient ghost hauling massive, heavy chains. We understand the gravity of his situation and why he (and, in turn, Scrooge) would want to avoid this fate.
Once the game is afoot, Scrooge is visited by three spirits: the Ghost of Christmas Past (a sort of banshee in a wedding dress), the Ghost of Christmas Present (a lively fellow suffering for the sins of the world), and the Ghost of Christmas Future (a cloaked and hooded dark spirit).
Make no mistake. These aren’t just visits. They’re hauntings, and the stakes are high for Scrooge.
The spirits are genuinely scary at times. Keep in mind that this is a PG-13 movie, and the ghosts would likely frighten elementary-aged kids.
Where Ebenezer Misses the Mark
We travel through the night with Scrooge as he takes his emotional journey all the way to Christmas morning. As anyone who’s seen or read the story knows, Christmas morning is the payoff.
It’s the It’s a Wonderful Life moment when George Bailey yells, “Merry Christmas, you wonderful old Building and Loan!”
And that’s where the movie fell a little flat.
The ending has the same spirit, but not quite the same emotion. The story is slightly changed from the original, and I felt like we lost some of that emotional payoff.
Yes, Scrooge visits Fred. Yes, Scrooge gives Cratchit a raise. But what makes the original so endearing is that Ebenezer is a bit of a trickster. He plays with the emotions of both Fred and Cratchit, letting us really appreciate the contrast between the old Scrooge and the new one.
That playfulness, and the emotional release that comes with it, felt a little muted here.
I’m not sure why the ending was altered, and I certainly wouldn’t let it prevent you from seeing the movie. In fact, the average moviegoer might not even notice. But judging by some of the rumblings I heard in the theater, I wasn’t the only one who noticed.
Is Ebenezer Worth Seeing?
Overall, Ebenezer is a darker version of A Christmas Carol. It feels like Dickens wrote the story and Edgar Allan Poe did a little editing before it went to print.
But it still feels remarkably authentic.
The casting brings new life to familiar characters, the horror elements give the ghosts some much-needed menace, and the small changes keep you guessing even when you know exactly where the story is headed.
Does it replace my favorite version of A Christmas Carol? Not quite. But it makes a compelling case for why this story is worth telling again.
Add this one to your Christmas movie list, but perhaps leave the little ones snuggled in their beds with visions of sugarplums dancing in their heads.
