Ti West built his reputation on violent, low-budget horror like X and Pearl, so his turn to Dickens is one of the year’s most surprising career moves. It’s also his largest film to date, with a PG-13 rating and a major studio behind it. Johnny Depp’s return to a big studio lead makes the stakes higher, since this is a test of his drawing power as well as West’s. Critics are divided, but early audience reactions are far warmer.
The Film
Ebenezer is Ti West’s horror-tinged version of A Christmas Carol, rated PG-13 and running 1 hour 56 minutes, with Nathaniel Halpern writing the screenplay. Depp plays Scrooge, with Ian McKellen as Jacob Marley, Rupert Grint as Bob Cratchit, and Daisy Ridley, Andrea Riseborough, Sam Claflin, Arthur Conti, Ellie Bamber, and Tramell Tillman also in the cast. Variety notes that Tillman brings a compellingly surly energy to the Ghost of Christmas Present.
The Reviews Are Mixed
Forbes reports a 53% rotten critics’ score on Rotten Tomatoes from 53 reviews. Gold Derby adds that Metacritic gives it a 48. The critics are sharply divided on Depp. The Hollywood Reporter says Depp needed a comeback vehicle and found an effective one. IndieWire’s David Ehrlich says Depp’s performance torpedoes the film. Vulture calls Depp the worst part but says the rest of the movie is pretty good. Variety calls it spookily atmospheric but redundant. The supporting cast is largely drawing praise.
Ebenezer earned $1.5 million in Thursday previews. Audiences gave it a 90% Rotten Tomatoes audience score and four stars on PostTrak.
The Box Office Outlook
Paramount is hoping for at least $20 million this weekend and a $40 million worldwide opening. Deadline calls it the first big greenlight of Paramount’s new administration since the Skydance merger. Boxoffice Pro forecasts a $20 to $25 million domestic opening from more than 3,500 theaters. A win would give Depp his first No. 1 since Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald in 2018. Depp reportedly took a pay cut to star in the film.
Ebenezer is in theaters now.
