Will ?Todd? Cut in Time?
With the Christmas bow of Sweeney Todd on the horizon, the studio execs are biting their manicured nails in angst. Director Tim Burton is apparently still working on the Johnny Depp starrer, a big-screen adaptation, songs and all, of the Steven Sondheim musical about a maniacal barber who takes revenge on his customers. When questioned about the progress of the film, Burton stated that he hoped it would be finished in two weeks. That?s a close shave indeed--for a film set to premiere on December 21st. But that?s not the only thing that has the big wigs losing their hair. Todd appeals to so many different types of fans, that the film represents ultimate marketing challenge. It should garner the interest of: Sondheim fans (who will hold it up to the original play), Tim Burton fans (who may have a hard time getting over the fact that it?s a full musical), Johnny Depp fans (most of whom are happy to watch anything in which the chameleon-like actor is featured--no matter how Pirates of the Caribbean 3ish), musical fans (who may find the R-rated pic too gory), and, last but by no means least, horror fans?-who can?t wait to see what Burton does with another R rating (his last one came in 1997?-for Sleepy Hollow). Will any of these subcultures be satisfied in time?!
