Johnny Depp, being named for the role of Ebenezer Scrooge in a titular Paramount production slated for release on November 26, has revealed prevailing raw public sentiments stemming from his multimillion-dollar court victory against ex-wife Amber Heard.
The news was released by major outlets on October 23 and greeted with dissent from fans sympathetic to Heard on social media.
Highlights
- Johnny Depp to play Ebenezer Scrooge in Paramount’s 2026 adaptation.
- The news divided fans between Depp supporters and those who sympathized with Amber Heard.
- The decision to cast Depp was dubbed “bold”.
One person in particular, seeing Depp’s return to acting as vindication that defamatory “allegations” seldom ruin men’s lives, expressed hopes that the movie would flop.
On the other hand, the opposing sect – those in support of the Depp – cannot wait to see the production.
The film is slated to hit the cinema circuit in November 2026
Image credits: Carlos Alvarez/Getty
In an exclusive, entertainment commentator, Deadline, described Paramount’s choice as “bold.”
It noted that the film empire was in final negotiations for the movie that will be named Ebenezer: A Christmas Carol.
The outlet reported that horror film director Ti West was on board alongside producer Emma Watts, with the release date being set for November 13, 2026.
Johnny Depp first sued in the UK and lost the case
Image credits: johnnydepp
The news triggered the likes of Jayda on X, who described Depp’s return to screen as “disgusting” and went on to slam the fact that he “still has a career after all he has done.”
This anti-Depp sentiment comes nearly a decade after he separated from Heard, and the ensuing hard feelings escalated to a sensational court battle in Virginia in 2022.
Depp was suing for the second time.
Image credits: Disney+
The first was when he sued The Sun in the United Kingdom in June 2018 for reporting Heard's claims that he was a wife-beater. The island country ruled that the outlet’s allegations were substantially true and Depp lost the case.
The second time, on American soil, Depp won, and Heard was ordered to pay $10 million
Image credits: Disney+
In the same year, Heard wrote an op-ed for the Washington Post, doubling down on her claims, and this time Depp sued her directly for $50 million.
The jury on home turf would side with Depp this time around, and order Heard to pay her ex-husband $10 million.
The two settled out of court with Depp agreeing to accept $1 million and donated it to charity.
According to a 2022 NBC article, the figure did not come out of Heard’s own pocket; her insurance paid for it.
Some fans are calling Depp's return to the big screen disgusting
Image credits: Disney+
Despite the widespread glee at the trial’s result, Heard has followers like Jayda, who still believe Depp was in the wrong.
“I hope this movie flops when it comes out,” the latter wrote in response to the news.
“I don't want to hear anything about ‘allegations ruining men's lives’” when Depp is still getting work, even though he [misuses women],” her post concluded.
But not everyone feels this way
Image credits: Jason Merritt/Getty
“We don’t need another adaptation of this movie and we most certainly don’t need this version… men really can do the most heinous things and still have a career,” wrote another netizen by the name of Courtney.
But these were just a few of the reactions. In response to other posts, netizens showed anticipation for the charismatic Pirates of the Caribbean icon.
Image credits: johnnydepp
“He will be as great as Scrooge,” wrote one of his supporters. “I bet his epiphany at the end is superb,” they speculated of the Charles Dickens character who, at some point in the plot, turns away from his miserly ways to embrace generosity.
“He’s a great actor and he will love the character and its transformation,” they predicted.
Jerry Bruckheimer has indicated that Depp could reprise his role of Captain Jack Sparrow in the upcoming Pirates of the Caribbean reboot
The news comes in the wake of a circulating AI-generated trailer of Pirates of the Caribbean’s sixth instalment depicting Keanu Reeves as Captain Jack Sparrow.
As Bored Panda reported on August 21, the film series’s producer, Jerry Bruckheimer, confirmed number six in the works, but not Reeves’ participation.
Naturally, the conversation steered to the possibility of Depp reprising the role despite the fact that it would be a reboot, and Bruckheimer responded ambiguously.
“It’s two different movies,” Bruckheimer told Entertainment Weekly in 2024, and noted that it would be unlikely to feature any of its old cast.
Netizens see the announcement as the sign of "another Pirates"
