Johnny Depp walks a snowy Leicester Square red carpet for Ebenezer premiere

Christmas came early to London on Monday night. Johnny Depp touched down in Leicester Square for the global premiere of Ebenezer, his new take on Ebenezer Scrooge, and the whole red carpet was dressed for the season.

There were Christmas trees, artificial snow and 1950s festive classics blasting from the speakers. As if on cue, temperatures dropped after an unseasonably mild autumn.

What happened?

Depp arrived on time, spoke to a handpicked group of reporters and then walked the fan line. Director Ti West and cast members Rupert Grint, Sam Claflin, Tramell Tillman, Ellie Bamber and Robert Strong were there too.

The cold did not put anyone off. Fans packed the red-carpet enclosure, and most of them were clearly there for a glimpse of Depp.

Why is everyone talking about it?

The film is being billed as Depp's comeback. He was left out in the cold after his high-profile legal battles with ex-wife Amber Heard, including the 2022 defamation trial in Virginia, where a jury largely sided with him. On Monday, the crowd at least seemed to have moved on.

There is also talk that a strong showing for Ebenezer could help green-light a reboot of Pirates of the Caribbean with Depp back as Captain Jack Sparrow. That is only a rumour for now.

West, known for horror films, has given the story a gothic edge. He said he and Depp bonded over their shared love of Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol and Alastair Sim's 1951 performance as Scrooge. According to West, Depp told him Sim was "a huge reason why I am even an actor", and West called it "a weird cosmic thing where it was meant to be".

Depp backed that up. "I adored it as a child and to this day I know there is no better person to play Ebenezer Scrooge than Alastair Sim… the challenge is to find another angle," he said. He praised West for creating an atmosphere on set with room to experiment.

Is it a scary one?

A little. Bamber, who plays Ebenezer's long-lost love, says it is still a family film: "It's still very Christmassy with a hint of fright."

What's next?

Now the film heads out to audiences, and we will find out whether the public is as warm on it as the fans in Leicester Square were. The Pirates question will have to wait for the box office.