“Ebenezer,” an adaptation of “A Christmas Carol” starring Johnny Depp as Scrooge, topped the box office Friday with $6.7 million on opening day.
The PG-13 version of the Charles Dickens classic is expected to gross $18 million to $20 million from 3,535 North American theaters in its opening weekend. “Ebenezer” is expected to gross an additional $20 million overseas, for a global total of around $38 million to $40 million. This would represent a good start as Paramount spent a modest $38 million to produce the film. Audiences gave the film an “A” rating in CinemaScore exit polls. Directed by Ti West, known for the “X” horror trilogy, “Ebenezer” tells the oft-told story of a grumpy businessman who is visited by the ghosts of Christmas past, present and future.
“Ebenezer” is Depp’s first major film in eight years, since 2018’s “Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald.” Warner Bros. fired him from the “Harry Potter” spinoff series in 2020 after losing a libel suit against British tabloid The Sun, which called the actor a “wife beater.” Depp later won a defamation suit in the United States against his ex-wife Amber Heard, who accused him of domestic violence. While Hollywood kept its distance, Depp appeared in little-known independent films like the 2020 drama “Minamata” and the 2023 period piece “Jeanne du Barry” and he directed the 2024 biopic “Modì, Three Days on the Wing of Madness.”
Another newcomer, Sony’s action thriller “Ghost Soldier,” starring Jim Caviezel as a former U.S. special forces soldier, grossed $1.5 million from 2,558 sites on Friday. It is expected to gross $4.9 million over the traditional weekend and $8 million over the first five days following release. It was produced for $18 million.
This weekend’s other new release, Amazon MGM’s “How to Rob a Bank,” sparkles with $2.2 million released in 2,810 theaters Friday. The heist comedy, starring Nicholas Hoult, Zoë Kravitz and Pete Davidson, is expected to open to just $4.75 million. That’s not promising considering the studio produced the film for more than $40 million and theater owners keep about half of the ticket sales. David Leitch directed the R-rated film, which follows a crew of social media-savvy bank robbers who broadcast their daring heists, unaware that their viral fame has attracted the attention of the federal government. “How to Rob a Bank” earned a “B-” grade in CinemaScore exit polls and 33% from critics on Rotten Tomatoes.
“How to Rob a Bank” placed third on Friday, but it’s heading to No. 7 in the weekend box office rankings behind several holdovers, including Warner Bros.’ “The Cat in the Hat.” Animation and “Godzilla Minus Zero” by Gkids. At No. 2, “The Cat in the Hat” grossed $2.2 million Friday and is expected to gross $10 million by Sunday, a 50% drop from its debut. Those ticket sales would bring the domestic total to $36.7 million, a low figure compared to a budget of $92 million. “Godzilla Minus Zero” wasn’t far behind with $2.1 million on Friday. The kaiju sequel is expected to gross $7.5 million in its second weekend, a steep 75% drop from its opening. However, “Godzilla Minus Zero” was a success in North America. These returns will bring U.S. revenue to $48.1 million.
Gn entert
