The Johnny Depp Ebenezer box office returns put the actor back at the top of the North American chart, with the film taking $6.7 million on Friday, including $1.5 million from Thursday previews.
“Ebenezer”, Paramount’s horror-tinged take on Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol”, opened in 3,535 theaters and led the domestic box office on its first day. The studio projects about $20 million for the opening weekend in North America and a similar figure overseas, for a global opening of $38 million to $40 million.
The Johnny Depp Ebenezer box office result is the actor’s first number one film since “Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald” in 2018. It is his first studio feature since that film, and the first big greenlight from Paramount’s new leadership since last year’s Skydance merger.
Johnny Depp Ebenezer box office numbers
Paramount’s projection puts the film close to the openings of Depp’s earlier adult dramas, “Black Mass”, which opened with $22.6 million in 2015, and “Public Enemies”, which opened with $25.2 million in 2009. Rival studios saw the weekend coming in lower than Paramount’s $20 million figure, and the final number will be set when actuals arrive on Sunday and Monday.
The film cost $38 million to make, according to figures provided by Paramount. A $20 million domestic opening and a similar overseas result would cover the production cost in the first weekend.
The Johnny Depp Ebenezer box office figures also reflect who turned up. Of the Thursday night audience, 62 percent was over the age of 30, and half of opening-night moviegoers said Depp was their reason for seeing the film.
Audiences back the film more than critics
Audiences gave “Ebenezer” an A- CinemaScore and 4.5 out of 5 stars on PostTrak. Critics were split, with the film holding a 53 percent score on Rotten Tomatoes, while the audience score stood at 91 percent.
The Hollywood Reporter’s critic Frank Scheck wrote that the film “fulfills its ostensible goal of restoring the actor to A-list status”. The film is rated PG-13 and was directed by Ti West, whose earlier work includes the “X” trilogy.
Depp plays Ebenezer Scrooge, and the cast includes Ian McKellen, Sam Claflin, Daisy Ridley, Rupert Grint and Andrea Riseborough. The film opened on Friday, November 13.
Depp’s return to studio films
“Ebenezer” is Depp’s first studio film since “Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald” in 2018, an eight-year gap. The Sydney Morning Herald reported that Depp was paid roughly $5 million for the role. The film is rated PG-13 but is geared toward the family crowd, and Paramount is hoping families turn out on Saturday after fans of director Ti West did not show up in large numbers on Friday night, according to Deadline.
The Johnny Depp Ebenezer box office opening came in 3,535 theaters in North America and in 63 international markets, where the film is expected to take about $20 million over the weekend.
Johnny Depp Ebenezer box office lead over rivals
The Johnny Depp Ebenezer box office opening also matters because of what it says about Depp’s standing with audiences. The film is his return to studio filmmaking after eight years away from major studio releases, and Paramount’s marketing leaned on that return, with the actor appearing in character as Scrooge to remind audiences of earlier roles such as Captain Jack Sparrow and Willy Wonka.
The Johnny Depp Ebenezer box office figures put the film ahead of “Godzilla Minus Zero”, which it knocked out of first place. Trade reports noted that the film’s Christmas setting and strong audience scores could give it a longer run than a typical horror release.
The only other major release of the weekend, David Leitch’s “How to Rob a Bank”, took $2.2 million on Friday and is heading for a high single-digit opening against a $40 million budget, according to trade reports.
The Johnny Depp Ebenezer box office total will be confirmed when actual figures arrive on Monday, replacing the weekend estimates.