Johnny Depp's portrayal of Ebenezer Scrooge in the upcoming film Ebenezer received positive feedback during a recent test screening. The project, slated for a November release, could signal the actor's return to major Hollywood productions.
An 86 out of 100 score in Paramus, New Jersey
The road to a professional redemption for Johnny Depp may lead through a suburban cinema in New Jersey. According to Matthew Belloni of Puck, a test screening of Ebenezer held on August 11 in Paramus saw the actor earn a performance score of 86 out of 100. This figure significantly exceeds the industry average of 67 typically seen for male leads, suggesting that Depp's charisma remains intact despite years of professional exile.
The screening was attended by high-ranking Paramount studio executives, including Josh Greenstein and Dana Goldberg. As reported by Puck, these executives expressed relief at the positive reception, indicating that the studio's gamble on the actor is yielding the desired results.. The film, directed by Ti West, serves as a spinoff of the classic A Christmas Carol narrative .
The 90 percent approval raing among women over 35
One of the most crtiical metrics for Paramount was how Johnny Depp resonated with female audiences , a demographic that had previously been a point of contention. Sources told Matthew Belloni that Depp scored at least 90 percent with women over 35. This is a pivotal finding, as this specific demographic was expected to be the most critical following the highly publicized allegations of abuse made by his ex-wife, Amber Heard.
The positive reception follows a complex legal history, including a trial where a jury found that Amber Heard defamed Johnny Depp on three counts. That legal victory resulted in Depp being awarded $10.35 million in damages. The test screening data suggests that the public, or at least a significant portion of the target movie-going audience, is now more focused on the performance than the personal controversy.
Bridging the gap since 2018's Fantastic Beasts
The release of Ebenezer represents the first major studio opportunity for Johnny Depp since his tenure as Gellert Grindelwald in 2018's Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald. Following the 2018 Washington Post opinion piece by Amber Heard , Depp was effectively blacklisted from major franchises, including his removal from the Fantastic Beasts trilogy in 2020.
Paramount is operating with a relativly modest budget of roughly $40 million for Ebenezer, a strategic move that lowres the financial risk while testing the waters for Depp's viability. To build momentum, Johnny Depp appeared in character and in costume at San Diego Comic-Con last month, signaling a willingness to lean back into the eccentric character work that defined his early career.
Will Jerry Bruckheimer bring Depp back to Pirates?
While Ebenezer is the immediate focus, the broader industry is watching to see if this success triggers a return to the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise. Producer Jerry Bruckheimer recently revealed that the actor has been in talks to reprise his role as Captain Jack Sparrow, a move that seemed unlikely during the height of the Depp-Heard legal battles.
However, several questions remain regarding the sustainability of this comeback. It is still unclear if other major studios will move beyond "monitoring" the situation to offering concrete contracts, or if Depp's appeal is limited to specific, character-driven roles like Scrooge. Furthermore, the source reporting focuses heavily on the internal Paramount perspective; it remains to be seen if general audiences will mirror the enthusiasm of the Paramus test group when the film hits theaters in November.
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