I’d heard rumors about this off and on, but apparently it’s confirmed:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060816/ap_en_mo/people_depp
I’d thought Burton and Jim Carrey were going to have Believe it or Not (a Robert Ripley biopic) ready for us by next year, but there were script and budget issues getting in the way.
I’d also thought Burton and Depp would adapt the novel Geek Love.
But so much for that; here we are…a movie musical based on Sweeney Todd.
Thoughts?
I like the stage show. Not sure Depp has the right look for the part. Has he got the vocal chops to sing it?
I’m so there.
They can always get Elfman to dub him.
I’m reserving judgment until I see who they cast as Mrs. Lovett. It could work very well, with the right foil for Depp.
I’m having a little deja vu here. A similar thread came up a couple months ago, also refeerencing a yahoonews article, and I raised the exact same objection. I was referred here. It turns out the historical person was more of a Depp figure than a Cariou type.
I’m definitely excited for a film adaptation of one of my favorite Sondheim musicals, but Johnny Depp? I don’t know. He seems too young and pretty for the part, not to mention that I just don’t see him singing “Epiphany” without making it ridiculous (“They ALL deserve to die! Tell you why, Mrs. Lovett, tell you why!”).
Buuuuut movie magic can do amazing things, so who am I to judge? I thought casting the original Broadway cast for the RENT movie would be great, but it ended up (in my opinion) being pretty awful.
I just hope they don’t water down the score too much- it’s absolutely incredible but still very Sondheimian- which means it takes a couple of listenings for most people to really appreciate- and I just don’t see it being something that’ll be successful.
My choice would be Meryl Streep (who seems to be doing a lot of “evil mature woman” roles lately). She also has a good singing voice. The only problem is that if she’s cast, the age difference between her and Depp may be too much to overlook. Instead of a demonic middle-aged couple, Lovett and Todd will look more like a psychotic mother-and-son duo. Now, if Christopher Walken was cast as Todd, that would be perfect.
I’ve heard Christine Baranski’s name mentioned in connection to this project, but I don’t know if that’s an accurate rumor or just something that’s being flung out by a fan of her turn in the Kennedy Center production.
And casting Baranski (who has an excellent voice and great stage presence (I saw her in Mame at the Kennedy Center this year)) would present the same age problem as casting Streep.
Emma Thompson might be a good match, if this must happen. But personally I’m praying this doesn’t. Sweeney Todd is my favorite musical, and the thought of Tim Burton turning the production into one of his usual twee/horror hybrids makes me wretch. And Depp? Christ, no.
Why does Burton have to be so. fucking. predictable?
Now there’s an idea!
BTW here’s an article stating that Sondheim’s not convinced Depp’s got the chops. Of course this was before the announcement, so maybe Sondheim’s okayed him by now.
Still, I love how Depp is described as “bemused” that he has to sing for Sondheim, since he’s been “singing all his life” in his little rock band. What freakin’ arrogance. Y’know, even Mandy Patinkin had to audition for Sondheim, and that was after Evita.
Suck it, emo boy.
43 isn’t considered middle aged anymore?
I turn 40 today, so … hell naw! 
You took the words right out of my keyboard.
The Burton/Depp combo has jumped the fucking shark, crashed its motorcycle into a tank of gasoline, burst into flames, and then doused with yak piss. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory was a disgraceful desecration of the wonderful original and a horrific insult to Gene Wilder’s character. Overly-slick, overproduced, and soulless, and with a simpering windbag of a Wonka ineptly portrayed by an over-eager Depp. Corpse Bride - blatant pandering to high school goths, and twee college freshman girls who think Of Montreal is the shit.
I’m sickened by this news…
I’m a 30-something non-Goth (although I have Burton’s hair!), and I loved Corpse Bride and C&TC Factory (and hated the Wilder version). I’ve never seen a Burton work I didn’t like, and I expect to like this.
Sure, it’s the goths who get all angsty…
You may be right that Burtons’ C&TCF was a bag of shite (although it grew on me), and you’re spot on, IMO about the shark-jumping, but Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory, starring Gene Wilder is not the ‘original’ - the ‘original’ is a book, and, as far as anyone can tell, Burton was not attempting to imitate or build upon the movie featuring Wilder.
And isn’t it obvious who Burton will cast as Mrs Lovett?
Helena Bonham-Carter, of course.
Not only that, but BUrton’s version was far, far closer to the original than Wilder’s version.
Daniel