Johnny Depp returns to Hollywood after legal battles

American actor Johnny Depp has declared his return to mainstream Hollywood with a leading role in Ebenezer, a new adaptation of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol, nearly eight years after his career was disrupted by a highly publicised legal battle with former wife Amber Heard.
Depp, who plays the miserly Ebenezer Scrooge in the upcoming film, signals his return in the trailer with the words, “I’m not the man I was.”
In another scene, the actor declares, “It’s good to be back”, in what appears to be a reference to his return to major Hollywood productions.
The film, produced by Paramount Pictures and directed by Ti West, also stars Rupert Grint, Ian McKellen and Daisy Ridley. It is scheduled to hit cinemas on November 13, 2026.
Depp's casting comes after years of professional uncertainty following his bitter separation from Heard, which developed into an international legal dispute involving allegations of domestic abuse from both actors.
The dispute gained widespread attention in 2018 after Heard published an opinion article in The Washington Post, describing herself as a public figure representing domestic abuse.
Depp subsequently filed a $50m defamation lawsuit against her in 2019, arguing that the article damaged his reputation and acting career.
The case went to trial in Virginia, United States, in 2022, with both actors testifying during six weeks of proceedings and presenting conflicting accounts of their marriage.
The jury ruled in Depp's favour on three of his defamation claims and awarded him more than $10m in damages. However, Heard also won one of her counterclaims and was awarded $2m.
The former couple eventually settled their appeals in December 2022, with Heard agreeing to pay Depp $1m, which the actor said would be donated to charity.
The controversy had significant consequences for Depp's career, including his departure from the Fantastic Beasts franchise, in which he played Gellert Grindelwald.
Although he continued working on independent and self-produced projects during the period, Ebenezer represents his biggest return to mainstream Hollywood in nearly eight years.
His portrayal of Scrooge, one of Dickens' most recognisable literary characters, is expected to mark a new chapter in the actor's film career.