- Primary Subject: Johnny Depp’s comeback movie Ebenezer (critic reviews)
- Key Update: Ebenezer debuted in theaters to mixed reviews from critics.
- Status: Confirmed
- Last Verified: November 13, 2026
- Quick Answer: Johnny Depp’s comeback movie Ebenezer has received mixed critic reviews, earning a 53% Rotten Tomatoes score with polarizing reactions to his performance as Scrooge.
Just in time for its theatrical release, critics have weighed in on Johnny Depp's Hollywood comeback movie, Ebenezer.
After years of controversy surrounding his personal life, the A-list star is back in the spotlight with the new Christmas fantasy film that adapts Charles Dickens' classic novel A Christmas Carol. Fans have been wondering whether it will live up to the hype and if it will lead to Depp's career resurgence.
What Do Critics Think of Johnny Depp's Ebenezer?
As of this writing, Ebenezer has a Rotten Tomatoes score of 53% based on 85 reviews that they've gathered so far. It indicates that the new film received mixed reactions from critics.
Johnny Depp's performance is also receiving mixed reviews. While some praised his performance and called it a solid comeback, some are also criticizing his take on Ebenezer Scrooge and calling it one of the weakest performances of the iconic character.
Alison Wilmore of New York Magazine/Vulture wrote in her review that "Johnny Depp is the worst part of Ebenezer, but he’s also the reason it exists, so it’s futile to try and separate his presence from the rest of the movie, which is, inconveniently, pretty good."
David Ehrlich of IndieWire called the new film a "tough break" and highlighted that "screenwriter Nathaniel Halpern’s fidelity to the source material doesn’t exactly leave West with a wealth of opportunities to compensate for such fatal miscasting."
Brandon Yu of The New York Times wrote that Ebenezer "toggles mostly between dual modes of the perfunctory and the inoffensive. This is a Christmas Carol iteration that is bland in imagination and supremely straightforward in interpretation."
Robbie Collin of the Daily Telegraph (UK) noted in his review that "the result is far from revisionist, but instead breathes a cool, fresh, spectral, humbug-free breath down the spine of this beloved festive tale."
It's clear that the reviews have been polarizing at best, so it's up to you whether you would like to watch it in theaters. Nevertheless, it would be interesting to see what its box office results would look like since it will determine Depp's next phase of his career.
What Is Ebenezer About?
Based on the classic Charles Dickens novel, Ebenezer follows the thrilling ghost story of one man's supernatural journey to face his past, present, and future as he fights for a second chance at redemption. Ti West directed the film.
The cast includes Johnny Depp, Rupert Grint, Andrea Riseborough, Sam Claflin, Daisy Ridley, Arthur Conti, Ellie Bamber, Henry Lloyd-Hughes, Charlie Murphy, Tramell Tillman, and Ian McKellen.
The film is currently showing in theaters around North America and the United Kingdom. There is no release window set yet for its arrival on streaming.