Johnny Depp ‘Understands the Assignment’ While Angling For Career Comeback With 2026 Film

Determined Johnny Depp is working toward a box office comeback with Ebenezer: A Christmas Carol, according to sources who say producers are hoping the scandal-plagued star will be on his best behavior while shooting the 2026 release and won’t squander the opportunity to redeem himself in the eyes of Hollywood.

“The whole point of this project is to let Johnny be Johnny — and let him do the things audiences love to see him do. He has to create a character and an accent, and he has to disappear under loads of old-age makeup to become a version of Scrooge nobody has ever seen before,” an insider explains. “And he’s going to have to do that every day for three months, while they shoot in London this winter.”

“It’s a big-budget movie with serious filmmakers involved, including the director Ti West, who is the one who pitched Johnny to take on this role. If Ti and Johnny aren’t able to see eye to eye on every single creative decision, the consequences could be devastating to the project — and costly for the studio.”

As Globe readers know, Depp, 62, was dropped from his high-profile role as Captain Jack Sparrow in the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise — and appeared to be radioactive to Tinseltown — after his ex-wife Amber Heard claimed she was a victim of domestic violence in a 2018 newspaper op-ed.

Though Heard never mentioned Depp by name, he successfully sued her for defamation in Virginia — with the jury awarding him $15 million and Heard $2 million in her countersuit.

In December 2022, both parties reached a settlement and dropped their appeals — with Heard, 39, reportedly paying her ex $1 million.

Depp has denied ever harming Heard.

“Johnny understands the assignment,” the insider says. “This isn’t another Pirates of the Caribbean situation where he can just waltz in after drinking a bottle of red wine with lunch and play a character that’s second nature to him. In Ebenezer, he has to prove that he’s back as a major artist.”

According to the insider, Depp stands to pocket $10 million for the film — his biggest paycheck in years.

“Johnny sees this movie as the first step in a complete return to movie star status,” the insider says. “If he doesn’t book another big film after he wraps this one, word may spread that Johnny didn’t deliver the goods. Everybody’s rooting for him, but they’re also ready to jump ship at the first sign of trouble.”