Johnny Depp’s ‘Ebenezer’ Opens with $1.5m in Box Office Previews

Johnny Depp's return to major studio filmmaking has begun with a $1.5 million opening from preview screenings of Ebenezer, Paramount Pictures' dark adaptation of Charles Dickens' classic Christmas story, A Christmas Carol.

The film, directed by Ti West, is scheduled to open in more than 3,500 theatres across North America on Friday. Paramount is projecting a $20 million domestic opening, with another $20 million expected from 63 international markets.

Depp stars as Ebenezer Scrooge, the miserly central character, in the $38 million production. The cast also includes Rupert Grint, Andrea Riseborough, Sam Claflin, Daisy Ridley and Ian McKellen.

A Major Studio Return for Johnny Depp

Ebenezer marks Depp's return to major studio productions following years of negative publicity surrounding his legal dispute with former wife Amber Heard, including their highly publicised 2022 defamation trial. Depp has denied allegations of abuse.

His last major studio release was 2018's Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald. Warner Bros. later removed him from the franchise in 2020 after he lost a libel case against the publisher of British newspaper The Sun.

The new film has received mixed reactions from critics, with a 52 per cent approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes. However, a review by The Hollywood Reporter critic Frank Scheck suggested the production could help restore Depp's standing as an A-list actor.

‘How to Rob a Bank’ Records $900,000 in Previews

Another major release competing for audiences is Amazon MGM Studios' How to Rob a Bank, which is opening in 2,810 North American theatres.

The heist film, directed by David Leitch, earned $900,000 from preview screenings. It is expected to record an opening in the high single-digit millions against a production budget of $40 million.

Starring Nicholas Hoult, Zoë Kravitz and Anna Sawai, the film follows a group of bank robbers who document their criminal activities on social media.

Critics have given the production a 33 per cent approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, with The Hollywood Reporter chief film critic David Rooney describing the film's entertainment value as wearing thin.

‘Ghost Soldier’ Records $3.1m in Two Days

Sony Pictures' action film Ghost Soldier has also entered the North American box office race, earning $3.1 million over two days, including Tuesday previews.

Released in 2,558 theatres on Wednesday, the film is projected to earn $6 million during its first five days.

Directed by William Eubank, Ghost Soldier stars Jim Caviezel as a former Green Beret forced to defend his Wyoming community against a corporate threat.

The film has a 42 per cent critics' score on Rotten Tomatoes, while its audience rating stands at 90 per cent.

With three major releases competing for attention, the coming weekend will provide a clearer indication of how audiences respond to Depp's return and the latest offerings from Paramount, Amazon MGM Studios and Sony Pictures.

The Hollywood Reporter