Johnny Depp and Tim Burton’s Strangest Movie Gets Huge Surprise Release

Johnny Depp and Tim Burton have reunited in a manner that fans have eagerly awaited: their most peculiar and overlooked film is finally receiving a release that does it justice.

The collaboration between Depp and Burton began with the iconic gothic fantasy film “Edward Scissorhands” in 1990. Over the years, the pair created a legacy with eight feature films, including the critically acclaimed biopic “Ed Wood” (1994), the dark mystery “Sleepy Hollow” (1999), and the widely popular “Alice in Wonderland” (2010).

Despite their successful partnership, Depp and Burton haven’t worked together since the 2012 release of “Dark Shadows,” a critical and commercial flop that attempted to bring the 1970s vampire show to the big screen. However, rumors are swirling that Depp might appear in the highly anticipated “Beetlejuice 2,” alongside Michael Keaton, Jenna Ortega, and Winona Ryder.

In the meantime, fans of the Depp-Burton duo can look forward to a massive new release of their underrated and gruesome musical, “Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street” (2007).

“Sweeney Todd” is an adaptation of the legendary Broadway musical by Stephen Sondheim, which itself is based on a play by Christopher Bond. The character of Sweeney Todd, a murderous barber, originated in mid-19th century melodramatic serial pamphlets known as “penny dreadfuls.” While there may be some historical basis for Todd, the details remain speculative.

Sondheim’s musical is hailed as one of the greatest of all time, winning numerous awards and inspiring countless revivals, including a current Broadway production starring Josh Groban, Annaleigh Ashford, and Gaten Matarazzo of “Stranger Things.”

In Tim Burton’s film adaptation, Johnny Depp portrays the hollow-eyed, ghostly Sweeney Todd, who returns to London after 15 years of unjust exile by Judge Turpin (Alan Rickman) with vengeance on his mind. Todd quickly resumes his role as a notable barber in a grim, shadowy version of the city. He teams up with Mrs. Lovett (Helena Bonham Carter), the baker of the “worst pies in London,” to exact revenge on those who wronged him. The film also features Sacha Baron Cohen, Timothy Spall, and Jamie Campbell Bower.

The marketing for “Sweeney Todd” infamously concealed that it was a musical, leading to confusion among audiences unprepared for Depp’s singing amid the grisly murders and betrayals. This misstep likely contributed to the film’s underwhelming box office performance, despite Depp’s then-recent success with “Pirates of the Caribbean.”

Critically well-received but quickly forgotten, “Sweeney Todd” has become a curious footnote in Burton’s career. However, the film is set to gain new life with a 4K Ultra HD release, a first for the movie, as part of the Paramount Scares: Volume 1 limited collection. This collection includes “Rosemary’s Baby” (1968), “Pet Sematary” (1989), “Crawl” (2019), and “Smile” (2022).

The 4K remaster of “Sweeney Todd” will feature an array of extras, including:

• Behind the Scenes Look
• Press Conference
• The Real History of the Demon Barber
• Musical Mayhem
• Sweeney’s London
• The Making of Sweeney Todd
• Grand Guignol
• Designs for a Demon Barber
• A Bloody Business
• Moviefone Unscripted with Burton and Depp
• The Razor’s Refrain
• Photo Gallery

For too long, “Sweeney Todd” has remained an oddity in the filmographies of both Johnny Depp and Tim Burton. This new release promises to give the film the recognition it deserves, bringing this unique and darkly enchanting tale back into the spotlight.