The appearance marks Depp's first time returning to Comic-Con since July 2018, when he appeared for Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald.
The Guerrilla Activation: "Do You Have Jobs?"
Rather than hosting a traditional Hall H panel, Paramount utilized a guerrilla-style marketing activation outside a faux snow-lined storefront marked with a "Scrooge and Marley" sign:
In-Character Interaction: Dressed in a Victorian overcoat and top hat, Depp emerged to address the surprised crowd filming on cellphones:
"Do you have jobs? It seems as though you have so much spare time. Why are you here?"
The Humbug Exit: As fans called out "Merry Christmas!", Depp responded in character before shuffling back inside:
"I can only say you're all very, very strange people. Humbug!"
About the Film: A Dark Reimagining of 'A Christmas Carol'
Coinciding with the street appearance, Paramount Pictures officially dropped the first teaser trailer and title poster online.
Directed by horror auteur Ti West (X, Pearl, MaXXXine), Ebenezer is billed as a darker, atmospheric horror-fantasy adaptation of Charles Dickens' 1843 novella:
The Narrative Arc: Set in Victorian London, the film focuses on the solitary Scrooge as his nocturnal encounters with the spirits of Christmas Past, Present, and Yet to Come spiral into a chilling, supernatural fight for redemption.
Star-Studded Supporting Ensemble:
Ian McKellen as Jacob Marley
Andrea Riseborough as the Ghost of Christmas Past
Tramell Tillman as the Ghost of Christmas Present
Daisy Ridley as the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come
Rupert Grint as Bob Cratchit
Strategic Hollywood Comeback
Ebenezer represents Depp's first major studio-backed theatrical release since departing the Fantastic Beasts franchise in 2020 following high-profile legal battles. Following a streak of European indie productions (including Jeanne du Barry and his directorial effort Modì), Ebenezer—alongside Lionsgate's upcoming thriller Day Drinker—signals his full-scale return to mainstream studio filmmaking.
