Johnny Depp’s Ebenezer tests his comeback with a $20M+ box office start.
Why Johnny Depp’s Ebenezer Tests His Comeback
Johnny Depp’s Ebenezer tests his comeback with one simple question: will people pay to see him? The early answer is yes. The film made $7.1M on its first Friday, including $1.5M from Thursday previews. Deadline now expects $20M or more for the weekend.
That is close to his starts for Black Mass ($22.6M) and Public Enemies ($25.2M). It is also his first studio film since 2018’s Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald. THR links his long break to the bad headlines around his 2022 trial with ex-wife Amber Heard, and to abuse claims that Depp has denied.
So this weekend is about more than one ghost story. It is a test for a star, a director and a studio. Who gains, and who loses?
Who Gains as Johnny Depp’s Ebenezer Leads the Holiday Box Office
Johnny Depp’s Ebenezer leads the holiday box office, and Paramount gains first. Deadline calls it the first big greenlight of the studio’s new leaders since last year’s Skydance merger. A strong start helps that team. The cost was modest, too. THR puts the budget at $38M, so a $20M+ opening is a safe base.
Depp gains a real shot as a lead star outside big franchises. Director Ti West, known for horror, gains a much bigger stage. Audiences also look warmer than critics. PostTrak exit polls gave the film 4.5 stars, and 63% would definitely recommend it. That gap could matter for word of mouth.
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A telecom outage made the FAA halt all U.S. flights for hours on Friday. It hit the American Film Market and travel to Saturday’s Governors Awards in Hollywood.
Who Loses as Ebenezer Takes the Top Spot From Its Rivals
Ebenezer takes the top spot, and its rivals pay the price. Godzilla Minus Zero, last week’s big hit, may fall about 74% to around $8M, based on Deadline’s Friday estimates. Amazon MGM’s How to Rob a Bank looks set for only about $4M. THR says that film cost $40M.
Critics lose some power, too. Reviews sit near 52–53% on Rotten Tomatoes, yet the opening held up. The real test is the second weekend. If word of mouth stays strong, the film can keep selling tickets into December.
Frequently Asked Questions
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How much did Ebenezer make on opening day?
It made $7.1M on Friday, November 13, including $1.5M from Thursday previews, according to Deadline.
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Who directed Ebenezer, and who stars in it?
Ti West directed it. Johnny Depp plays Ebenezer Scrooge. Rupert Grint, Andrea Riseborough, Sam Claflin, Daisy Ridley and Ian McKellen also star.
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How many theaters is it playing in?
Deadline says it is booked in 3,535 U.S. theaters, including Dolby Cinema, premium large formats, 4DX and D-Box screens.
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What do critics and audiences think?
Reviews are mixed, at about 52–53% on Rotten Tomatoes. Audiences are kinder: PostTrak exit polls gave it 4.5 stars.
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Is Ebenezer opening outside the U.S.?
Yes. Paramount hopes for about $20M from 63 markets, including the U.K., Japan, Mexico and Brazil.
Conclusion
Johnny Depp’s Ebenezer tests his comeback, and the first answer is a solid pass. Paramount gets a win for its new team. Depp shows he can still open a film without a franchise. Ti West reaches a far bigger audience. Rivals like Godzilla Minus Zero and How to Rob a Bank feel the squeeze. But one good Friday is not a full comeback. The weekend total is still an estimate. Watch the final Sunday numbers, then the second weekend. If audiences keep coming, Hollywood will call it proof. If they fade, it was mostly curiosity.
Bibliography / Sources
- D’Alessandro, A. (2026, November 13). Johnny Depp pic ‘Ebenezer’ opening to spirited $20M+ U.S. – Box office update. Deadline. https://deadline.com/2026/11/box-office-ebenezer-1237222749/
- Gajewski, R. (2026, November 13). Johnny Depp’s ‘Ebenezer’ unearths $1.5M in box office previews. The Hollywood Reporter. https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/johnny-depp-ebenezer-comeback-box-office-previews-rob-bank-1236754682/
