Johnny Depp Surprises Comic-Con as Ebenezer Scrooge on Streets of San Diego

Johnny Depp in character Borys Kit/THR Logo text

If you looked closely amid the cosplayers walking the streets of San Diego this afternoon, you might have found a familiar face hidden under old age makeup.

Johnny Depp appeared as Ebenezer Scrooge, the classic Charles Dickens character he plays in his Hollywood comeback vehicle, Ebenezer. Appropriately, it took place in front of the Gaslamp quarter shop Scrooge and Marley.

His appearance was not announced ahead of time, and the movie has no panel at Comic-Con. Still, by the time he showed up, fans had gathered, apparently having gotten wind that something might happen.

New 'Avatar' Animated Series at Paramount+ Lands Fall Premiere Date, Releases Teaser

Movies

Indian Epic 'Ramayana' Lands at Sony

Depp was last at Comic-Con in July 2018, when he showed up in Hall H as the titular villain in Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald. Two years later, Warner Bros. asked Depp to resign from the franchise after he lost a court case relating to his acrimonious split from ex-wife Amber Heard. In the years since he has largely been absent from Hollywood, though he has starred in indie and international productions.

Johnny Depp Comic Con surprise (if you can really call it that, seeing as hundreds showed up in anticipation): the actor shows up in full Ebenezer Scrooge make up for an elaborate promo for his upcoming Paramount movie EBENEZER pic.twitter.com/sWZLJDJhOb
— Borys Kit (@Borys_Kit) July 23, 2026

JOHNNY DEPP Comic Con surprise: the actor does an elaborate bit as Ebenezer Scrooge to the delight of a massive crowd of onlookers and cries of “We love you, Johnny!” pic.twitter.com/8PmsdQL1OI
— Borys Kit (@Borys_Kit) July 23, 2026

That is no longer the case, with Paramount’s Ebenezer arriving on Nov. 13. That will be followed by another studio movie, Lionsgate’s Day Drinker, due out in 2027. His San Diego appearance comes after he first showed of Ebenezer in April at CinemaCon.

X filmmaker Ti West directs Ebenezer, which also stars Andrea Riseborough as the Ghost of Christmas Past, Tramell Tillman as the Ghost of Christmas Present, Ian McKellen as Jacob Marley and Rupert Grint as Bob Cratchit.

Stars are known for hiding in plain sight at Comic-Con, with Bryan Cranston (wearing a Walter White mask), Jack Black (dressed as a Stormtrooper) and Henry Cavill (sporting a Guy Fawkes mask) all walking around incognito at the convention in years past.