During its first five days in release, "Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street" brought in $12.75 million, according to Boxofficemojo.com.
The sequel "National Treasure: Book of Secrets," which took in $65 million, was the highest-grossing film of the weekend. Holdovers from last week — "I Am Legend" ($47.5 million) and "Alvin and the Chipmunks" ($32.8 million) — along with the debut of "Charlie Wilson's War" ($14.75 million) beat out "Sweeney."
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"Sweeney Todd" took in an opening-night tally of $3.85 million despite being shown in approximately a third of the movie houses as the top three films. (The movie musical played on 1,249 screens compared to "Treasure" - 3,832; "Legend" - 3,620; and "Alvin" - 3,499.) It bested Aaron Sorkin's "Charlie Wilson's War" (on 2,575 screens) — but the latter film would surpass the musical film with Saturday's tally.
Even before the official release, "Sweeney Todd" had garnered much acclaim. The movie based on the Stephen Sondheim musical was among 2007's top ten films for the National Board of Review of Motion Pictures, Time Magazine and the Las Vegas Film Critics Society. "Sweeney Todd" was also nominated for Critics' Choice Awards (Best Picture, Acting Ensemble, Actor - Johnny Depp, Director and Young Actor - Edward Sanders) and Golden Globes (Picture, Director, Actor - Depp, Actress - Helena Bonham Carter). John Logan ("The Aviator," "Gladiator," Never the Sinner) penned the DreamWorks/Warner Bros. film adaptation of the Stephen Sondheim-Hugh Wheeler musical.
The film stars Depp as the title barber, Helena Bonham Carter as piemaker Mrs. Lovett as well as Alan Rickman (Private Lives), Timothy Spall and Sacha Baron Cohen. The ensemble also features Laura Michelle Kelly (Fiddler on the Roof), Jamie Campbell Bowen, Jayne Wisener and newcomer Edward Sanders. For more information visit sweeneytoddmovie.com.
