Sir Ian McKellen stars with Johnny Depp in Ebenezer: A Christmas Carol, an upcoming Charles Dickens adaptation for the big screen
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“He’s in spankingly good form,” McKellen said of Depp recently
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During his six days on the Ti West-directed adaptation’s set, McKellen “fell in love with” Depp, he quipped
SirIan McKellenhas nothing but praise forJohnny Deppas a costar.
The two veteran actors appear together inEbenezer: A Christmas Carol(in theaters Nov. 13), a big-screenretellingof Charles Dickens’ novellaA Christmas Carol.
“He’s in spankingly good form,” McKellen, 86, toldVarietyat the Wednesday, April 8 New York premiere of his new movieThe Christophers. “Effervescent, funny, irreverent, serious — all at the same time.”
Thanks to Depp, 62, the Ti West-directed adaptation “was a bit of a love fest,” added the Oscar nominee, during his six days on set.
“I fell in love with him,” McKellen said of Depp, calling him “very obliging to his fellow actors. [There was] a wonderful feeling on the set.”
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Ebenezer: A Christmas Carolalso stars Rupert Grint as Bob Cratchit, Andrea Riseborough as the Ghost of Christmas Past, Tramell Tillman as the Ghost of Christmas Present and McKellen as Jacob Marley. As he teased toVarietywith a chuckle, “I play a ghost!”
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Depp is making his return to major Hollywood movies withEbenezer, his first since 2019'sWaiting for the Barbariansand 2018'sFantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald. ThePirates of the Caribbeanstar appeared in French biopicJeanne du Barryand directed period dramaModi: Three Days on the Wing of Madness.
The Oscar nominee had stepped back from Hollywood movies following hisdefamation casewith ex-wifeAmber Heard, which culminated in a televisedsix-week trial.
It ended in June 2022 witha verdictthat found theAquamanactress liable on all three counts of defamation over a 2018 op-ed she had written. After makingappeals, the exes agreed in a settlement that Heard would pay Depp $1 million, which he announced he'ddonateto several different charities.
West’s upcoming movie is not the only screen adaptation ofA Christmas Carolon the way; last June, DeadlinereportedthatRobert EggersandWillem Dafoe, director and star ofNosferatu, are taking the classic ghost story in a horror direction.
Ebenezer: A Christmas Carolwill be in theaters in time for Christmas on Nov. 13. Also among Depp’s upcoming projects is thrillerDay Drinker,in which he stars oppositePenélope Cruz.
The ChristopherscostarringMichaela Coel,Jessica GunningandJames Corden, is in theaters tomorrow, April 10.
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