Johnny Depp Crashes SDCC 2026 as Ebenezer Scrooge — And 'Avatar: Seven Havens' Just Dropped Its First Teaser

Johnny Depp Crashes SDCC 2026 as Ebenezer Scrooge — And the Internet Can't Handle It

San Diego Comic-Con 2026 just kicked off its first official day, and nobody was prepared for what Paramount pulled — Johnny Depp, in full Victorian-era costume, walking onto the stage as Ebenezer Scrooge. Yes, that Ebenezer Scrooge. It's Christmas in July, and Hall H has never felt more confused or more excited.

The surprise appearance was in support of Paramount's upcoming film "A Christmas Carol", a new adaptation of Charles Dickens' classic novella. Depp plays the iconic miser who gets haunted by three ghosts on Christmas Eve. The first trailer dropped during the panel, and it leans hard into Depp's legacy of transformative roles — the reel flashes through Jack Sparrow, Edward Scissorhands, and the Mad Hatter before landing on Scrooge. Release date? November 13, 2026 — right in time for the holiday season.

Not Just Scrooge — What Else Dropped at SDCC Day 1

Depp's ghostly entrance stole the show, but it wasn't the only big moment. Here's what else went down:

• Avatar: Seven Havens — Paramount+ unveiled the first teaser for a brand-new animated series set in the Avatar: The Last Airbender universe. We meet a young earthbender in a post-Korra world where the Avatar is feared, not celebrated. She and her long-lost twin must rebuild trust across the Seven Havens. Premieres October 9.
• Percy Jackson & the Olympians Season 2 — Disney+ dropped a fresh look at the new season, with Percy literally holding up the sky (Atlas-style). Season 2 hits the platform on November 20.
• Marvel Tōkon: Fighting Souls — Arc System Works revealed Year 1's first DLC character: Phoenix Cyclops, voiced by Ray Chase (X-Men '97), complete with Phoenix Force abilities. The game launches August 6 on PC and PS5.

It's a stacked lineup that proves SDCC 2026 isn't playing around. Between Depp's theatrical entrance, a new Avatar era, and Marvel's fighting game heating up, Day 1 already feels like a weekend's worth of news.

Why Depp's Scrooge Is Actually Worth Paying Attention To

Let's be real — another Christmas Carol adaptation? Hollywood has done this story dozens of times, from the Muppets to Jim Carrey's motion-capture version. But Paramount seems to be banking on two things: the holiday movie slot (always a box office sweet spot) and Depp's ability to completely disappear into a character. If the trailer is any indication, this won't be a lazy retelling. The production design looks gothic and moody, and Depp's Scrooge feels more menacing than miserly — a darker take on the character we've seen before.

It's also worth noting this is one of Depp's biggest studio projects since stepping back from the spotlight a few years ago. The SDCC crowd gave him a standing ovation the moment he walked on stage in costume. Whether the movie delivers or not, the buzz is already deafening.

With Avatar: Seven Havens expanding the bending universe, Percy Jackson heading into darker mythological territory, and Johnny Depp haunting Hall H in a top hat — SDCC 2026 is off to a wildly entertaining start. Now we just have to wait until November to see if Scrooge pays off.