Johnny Depp’s Scrooge Crashes Venmo After Fans Flood ‘Ebenezer’ Account With Money Requests
Charles Dickens’ most famous miser is about to haunt theaters again, and Paramount is making sure nobody forgets it. ‘Ebenezer’, director Ti West’s new take on ‘A Christmas Carol’, stars Johnny Depp as Ebenezer Scrooge and opens exclusively in theaters on November 13. It’s West’s first major studio film after his ‘X’ trilogy found success at A24.
The film also marks a major moment for its star. It’s Depp’s first major studio role since 2018’s ‘Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald’, and he’s backed by a stacked ensemble. Rupert Grint plays Bob Cratchit, Andrea Riseborough is the Ghost of Christmas Past, Tramell Tillman is the Ghost of Christmas Present, and Ian McKellen plays Jacob Marley, with Sam Claflin, Daisy Ridley and Ellie Bamber also on board.
Now Paramount has found a perfectly on-brand way to promote the film. On October 22, the official ‘Ebenezer’ X account announced that Scrooge had joined Venmo and invited fans to send him payment requests. As DiscussingFilm reported, the response was so overwhelming that the account crashed under the weight of requests.
There’s a catch, of course. No matter how much fans ask for, Scrooge sends back exactly $0.01. A 29-second promotional video showed someone requesting $500 for student loans, only to receive a single penny along with a note declaring that generosity has its limits.
The stunt proved more popular than anyone expected. According to Variety, a source close to the promotion confirmed the account was working but had grown so popular that requests caused a temporary jam in the system.
The ‘EBENEZER’ account on Venmo crashed down yesterday due to overwhelming requests. People who requested money from the account received $0.01 https://t.co/KqV30wV1mH
— DiscussingFilm (@DiscussingFilm) October 23, 2026
The strangest twist might be the money flowing the other way. The account also accepts payments, and its public feed has filled up with fans sending cash to Scrooge rather than requesting it. Some playfully claimed they were trying to boost his Christmas spirit.
Others leaned into the joke with creative captions, including one fan who jokingly paid a retainer for the Ghost of Christmas Past to haunt their exes. It remains unclear where any of that money will actually end up.
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
Users have also flooded the account with requests tied to student loans, Christmas shopping, and a variety of other expenses. Not every attempt went smoothly, as some testers reported transaction errors while trying the account.
The campaign turns Scrooge’s defining trait into something fans can interact with in seconds. It lives on an app people already open several times a week, and the cost to Paramount is just a cent per interaction, making it one of the cheapest pieces of film marketing around.
Venmo’s social features also make it a natural fit. Payment requests, notifications, and personal messages give the studio an easy way to turn the character’s stinginess into a playful experience.
The Venmo bit is just the latest step in an aggressive campaign. Depp surprised San Diego Comic-Con in July in full Scrooge costume, and the film’s second trailer is closing in on 15 million views on YouTube. ‘Ebenezer’ also reportedly tested at an 86 earlier this fall.
Johnny Depp is officially Ebenezer Scrooge. #EbenezerMovie – in cinemas this November 20. https://t.co/8SIYtsgBfH
— Miraj Cinemas (@MirajCinemas) October 22, 2026
Written by Nathaniel Halpern, the film follows Scrooge’s supernatural encounters with figures from his past, present, and possible future. Its official tagline promises a familiar name with a story audiences don’t know, hinting at the darker edge West is known for. For now, anyone hoping for an early Christmas bonus from Scrooge should probably keep expectations low. A penny is about as generous as he gets.
Would you send Johnny Depp’s Scrooge a Venmo request, and does this marketing stunt make you more interested in Ebenezer?
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