Johnny Depp's return to the big screen in 'Ebenezer' sees strong box office performance, while 'How to Rob a Bank' struggles.
Johnny Depp’s latest film, Ebenezer, has made a significant impact at the box office, leading with an impressive $6.7 million on its opening day. The film, which is a fresh adaptation of Charles Dickens’ classic A Christmas Carol, is projected to earn between $18 million and $20 million over its opening weekend across 3,535 North American theatres.
Directed by Ti West, known for his work in the horror genre, Ebenezer has received an encouraging response from audiences, earning an ‘A-‘ grade on CinemaScore exit polls. The film’s international performance is also expected to be strong, with estimates suggesting it could bring in an additional $20 million from overseas markets, resulting in a global total of approximately $38 million to $40 million.
This marks Depp’s first major film role in eight years, following his departure from the Fantastic Beasts franchise in 2020. His recent legal battles and the subsequent defamation trial against ex-wife Amber Heard have kept him out of the Hollywood spotlight, making this release particularly significant for the actor.
In contrast, the new heist comedy How to Rob a Bank, starring Nicholas Hoult and Zoë Kravitz, has struggled to find its footing, earning only $2.2 million on its opening day. The film, which had a production budget exceeding $40 million, is projected to open with around $4.75 million, a disappointing figure given its high costs. It has received a ‘B-‘ grade on CinemaScore and has been met with lukewarm reviews from critics.
Another new release, Ghost Soldier, starring Jim Caviezel, also underperformed, grossing $1.5 million on Friday, with expectations of a total weekend gross of around $8 million. This weekend’s box office overall is projected to be around $80 million, a slight increase from the same period last year.
As the weekend progresses, Ebenezer is poised to solidify its position as the top film, while How to Rob a Bank faces an uphill battle to recover its production costs.
