Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (2007 film) difficulties could also be the movie's greatest strengths." Warner Bros. felt it should take a similar approach to marketing as with "The Departed", with little early exposure and discouraging talk of awards. "Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street" officially opened at the United States box office on December 21, 2007 in 1,249 theatres, and took $9,300,805 in its opening weekend. Worldwide releases followed during January and February 2008, with the film performing well in the United Kingdom and Japan. The film grossed $52,898,073 in the United States and Canada, and $99,625,091 in other markets, accumulating a worldwide total
Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street to Sondheim, "Your show is not called 'Nellie Lovett', it's called 'Sweeney Todd'. And I'm the second banana." To convince her, Sondheim "auditioned," writing a couple of songs for her, including the macabre patter song, "A Little Priest." And he gave her the key to the character, saying "I want Mrs. Lovett to have a music hall character." Lansbury, who had grown up in British music hall, immediately got it. "Not just music hall ... but dotty music hall", as she put it. After she was formally confirmed in the role, she relished the opportunity, saying that she loved "the