Johnny Depp Books First Big Studio Film Since Amber Heard Fallout

Johnny Depp is making his big Hollywood return ... booking the starring role in the latest re-imagining of a Charles Dickens holiday classic, TMZ has confirmed.

Source tells us ... Depp is in final negotiations to play the namesake in "Ebenezer: A Christmas Carol" ... which is in the works at Paramount Pictures, and will also star Andrea Riseborough.

This 'Carol' iteration is described as ... "A thrilling ghost story set in Dickens’ London, follows one man’s supernatural journey to face his past, present and future and fight for a second chance."

A source close to Johnny tells TMZ ... It’s been a very busy year with a lot more exciting projects on the horizon. "Modi," which he directed and stars Al Pacino & Stephen Graham, hits US theaters November 7 -- and his art exhibition "A Bunch of Stuff" makes its way to Tokyo next month. We hear he also had a blast shooting "Day Drinker" with Penelope Cruz ... and is now gearing up for what’s sure to be another iconic role in 'Ebenezer.'

This is major news ... 'cause this will be Depp's first big-budget studio flick since his fall from grace over the Amber Heard saga.

As you recall ... Johnny and Amber married in 2015 before separating just 15 months later ... and, in 2019, their relationship received renewed attention when JD sued AH for defamation over a 2018 Washington Post op-ed she wrote about domestic violence.

After years of litigation -- and a trial broadcast millions watched -- a jury ruled mostly in favor of Depp ... awarding him millions in damages. Heard was awarded a couple million in her countersuit by the same jury.

Since then, Depp has mostly been starring in independent and smaller studio films and doing commercial work ... but it seems pretty clear Hollywood is ready to bring him back into the fold.