Ian McKellen — best known for his roles in The Lord of the Rings and the X-Men franchise — has been added to the ensemble of a new film adaptation of Charles Dickens’s A Christmas Carol.
The picture, titled “Ebenezer: A Christmas Carol,” is scheduled to hit cinemas in November 2026. Ti West (MaXXXine) is directing, and Johnny Depp has been cast in the title role.
The story follows the miserly financier Ebenezer Scrooge, who is visited on Christmas by three spirits that profoundly alter his perspective. Specifics about McKellen’s part have not been disclosed.
Paramount Pictures’ cast also includes Andrea Riseborough and Emmy winner Trammell Tillman (Severance), with Tillman set to portray the Ghost of Christmas Present.
The 86-year-old McKellen recently appeared in Steven Soderbergh’s festival comedy The Christophers and is expected to reprise Magneto in the forthcoming Avengers project.
