Johnny Depp returns to Hollywood with Scrooge: is the comeback real?

For years, Johnny Depp was one of the biggest names in cinema. This Wednesday, he walks back into cinemas with Scrooge, his first Hollywood film since 2018. And plenty of people in the industry will be watching to see how it lands.

What happened?

The 63-year-old actor is back on the big screen in Scrooge, stepping into the role of the title character. It's a notable moment: the film is billed as a test of whether the former superstar can still carry a Hollywood release.

It has been a long road back. In recent years, Depp has found refuge in Europe and in painting, away from the Hollywood spotlight.

What came before?

The story starts with the legal storm around his ex-wife, actress Amber Heard. In June 2022, a Virginia jury found that Heard had defamed Depp over her 2018 op-ed on domestic abuse. He was awarded $10 million in compensatory damages.

Then came Cannes. In May 2023, Depp played King Louis XV in Maïwenn's Jeanne du Barry, which opened the 76th Cannes Film Festival. He turned up late to the press conference, with the same charming smile, but tattoos and tousled hair instead of a royal wig. It showed that his appetite for cinema was intact.

Why is everyone talking about it?

Because Scrooge isn't just another release. After years of legal drama and media frenzy, it's the first time Depp returns to a Hollywood production in this way, and the industry is asking whether audiences will follow him.

One voice quoted in the French press sums up his arc: he got back up when he was on the brink of the abyss. Whether that's enough to bring back his old status is exactly what the box office will show.

What's next?

The first signs will come in the days after the release. If audiences turn out, Hollywood may reopen its doors a little wider. If not, Depp still has his European projects and his painting to fall back on.