Audiences Are Embracing Johnny Depp’s ‘Ebenezer’ With a Strong CinemaScore

Johnny Depp’s return to a major Hollywood studio film has been one of the most closely watched stories of the box office season. Critics haven’t been entirely won over by ‘Ebenezer’, Ti West’s gothic take on ‘A Christmas Carol’, but the people buying tickets are telling a different story.

The opening weekend has been off to a steady start. ‘Ebenezer’ led the box office on Friday with $6.7 million on opening day, according to Variety. The PG-13 film is projected to earn $18 million to $20 million from 3,535 North American theaters this weekend, plus another $20 million overseas for a global total of around $38 million to $40 million.

Now the audience verdict is in, and it’s a good one. Moviegoers gave ‘Ebenezer’ an A- CinemaScore, a solid grade for Paramount’s PG-13 dark fantasy comedy. That puts it on par with ‘Wonka’ and ‘Red One’, both of which earned an A-.

Box office analyst Luiz Fernando called it good news for the film’s potential staying power. Strong word of mouth will be especially important for a holiday release that hopes to keep selling tickets through December.

Audiences have spoken!!! #2 And #JohnnyDepp still got it, once again delivering a crowd pleaser, as #Paramount’s PG-13 dark fantasy comedy #EBENEZER, his return to Hollywood after 8 years, received a solid A- #CinemaScore from moviegoers, on par with #Wonka & #RedOne’s A-, slightly under #TheMuppetChristmasCarol’s A, over #Scrooged’s B+, #OfficeChristmasParty & 2009 #AChristmasCarol’s B. Also a step up from his last major Hollywood film #FantasticBeastsTheCrimesOfGrindelwald’s B+ Good news for potential legs at the #BoxOffice!

— Luiz Fernando (@Luiz_Fernando_J) November 14, 2026

The grade holds up well against other holiday favorites. ‘Ebenezer’ lands just below ‘The Muppet Christmas Carol’, which earned an A. It also beats ‘Scrooged’, which received a B+, as well as ‘Office Christmas Party’ and the 2009 ‘A Christmas Carol’, both of which scored a B.

It’s also an improvement for Depp. The A- is a step up from the B+ given to ‘Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald’, his last major Hollywood film. It also beats the B earned by ‘Black Mass’.

There’s a clear gap between critics and fans. The film has a mixed critical response, with 53% based on 116 reviews on Rotten Tomatoes. Audience scores are much stronger, including an A- on CinemaScore and 4.5 out of 5 on PostTrak.

Think you know his story? Think again. Johnny Depp is Ebenezer Scrooge. The spirits arrive in the official new trailer for EBENEZER – only in theatres November 13. https://t.co/cb6p9JBq9C

— Ebenezer (@ebenezermovie) October 1, 2026

Depp’s fans are a big reason for that. 50% of those surveyed said Depp was the reason they bought a ticket, just as Paramount hoped when it greenlit the project. The next challenge is turning that fan excitement into broader interest as competition like ‘Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping’ and ‘Hexed’ arrive.

The film’s budget makes the numbers look even better. Paramount spent a cautious $38 million to produce the movie, and Depp was paid $5 million, a fraction of his past studio salaries, with bonuses tied to box office performance. The marketing spend was reported at $50 million.

The comparison with other Friday releases is striking too. Amazon MGM’s ‘How to Rob a Bank’ received a B- CinemaScore and a 33% Rotten Tomatoes score, suggesting it may leave many theaters quickly.

The opening weekend puts Depp in familiar territory. ‘Ebenezer’ has roughly matched the $22.6 million debut of ‘Black Mass’, though it is behind ‘Dark Shadows’ ($29.7 million) and ‘Murder on the Orient Express’ ($28.7 million). It’s also Depp’s first major movie in 8 years.

With a strong audience grade and a modest budget, ‘Ebenezer’ has a good chance to keep drawing crowds through the holidays. For Depp, it’s an encouraging sign that audiences are ready to see him headline a big studio film again.

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