Imagine a horror version of Scrooge and then scale it back to Edward Scissorhands horror and you may have a good take on the new Johnny Depp film. Coming in Mid November, it promises to be a romp into the darker side of the story ‘A Christmas Carol’
Broad humour and scary imagery coupled with Depps talent make this one of the must see films this year.
The making of Ebenezer highlights an aggressive creative push by Paramount Pictures to subvert the traditional holiday movie formula. Combining indie horror instincts with massive studio backing, the behind-the-scenes production of the film is filled with striking design choices and unexpected casting stories.
The Transformation of Johnny Depp
Johnny Depp fully leaned into physical transformation, opting for traditional physical craftsmanship rather than heavy digital effects.
- Collaborative Makeup: Depp worked side-by-side with prosthetic designer Barrie Gower. It was Depp’s idea to add subtle facial details like asymmetric moles and a slightly elongated, protruding chin to emphasize Scrooge’s severe, weathered hostility.
- The Twinkle Directive: Despite looking completely unrecognizable in a bald cap and aged skin, crew members noted that Depp actively practiced injecting a sense of spontaneous mischief and a underlying twinkle in his eye to keep the character human.
Production & Locations
Filming officially kicked off in February 2026 across the United Kingdom and Ireland, managing a remarkably tight turnaround for its November release.
- Authentic Backdrops: To capture a bleak, authentic Victorian atmosphere, director Ti West eschewed generic studio green-screens. Production heavily utilized historic location shoots in London, Dublin, and Chatham’s Historic Dockyard in Kent to construct a muddy, snow-covered reality.
- Six-Day Marleys: Because of the tight scheduling, seasoned actors worked in highly concentrated blocks. Sir Ian McKellen revealed that his entire on-set workload filming the supernatural sequences for Jacob Marley was completed in just six days.