San Diego Comic-Con attendees experienced an unexpected holiday moment on July 23 when Johnny Depp made a surprise appearance in character as Ebenezer Scrooge. The actor arrived in full costume, complete with a top hat, cane, and candle, to conclude the Directors on Directing panel hosted by Collider.
The panel, which initially featured filmmakers Zach Cregger, Jonathan Goldstein, and John Francis Daley discussing their upcoming projects like "Resident Evil" and "Mayday," had no previous connection to the actor. As the session reached its conclusion, the room lights dimmed, and the screen displayed the message "Johnny Depp is Ebenezer." Depp then took the stage to deliver a monologue as the iconic curmudgeon from "A Christmas Character."
Addressing the crowd, Depp asked, "Have you all no lives? No responsibility? Why are you here? Well, I don't really care, but as a matter of fact, since you have traveled all this way, I would like to present each and every one of you with this candy." He proceeded to distribute candy to the audience before exiting the stage upon hearing the sound of chains and a voice calling for Jacob Marley, prompting him to remark, "Oh, not again. Jacob Marley."
Following his departure, the first trailer for the film "Ebenezer" was screened for the audience and subsequently released online. The film, directed by Ti West, marks a significant return to major Hollywood productions for Depp following his high-profile defamation trial involving ex-wife Amber Heard, where both parties faced accusations of domestic abuse.
The trailer for "Ebenezer" emphasizes the meta-narrative of the actor's return, referencing his past iconic roles such as Jack Sparrow, Edward Scissorhands, and the Mad Hatter. The promotional footage concludes with Depp, in character, stating, "It's good to be back," a sentiment that mirrors his real-life return to the spotlight. In addition to his panel appearance, Depp also debuted the Scrooge persona at a separate installation held for the convention in San Diego. "Ebenezer" is scheduled to hit theaters on Nov. 13.
