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From the AP:
SONDHEIM OFF, ELFMAN IN TIM BURTON MUSICAL
April 1st, 2007; Hollywood, CA
By Wicks CherrycokeDreamworks and Paramount Pictures have confirmed to the Associated Press today that famed Broadway composer Stephen Sondheim has officially left the film adaptation of his 1979 musical Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street over creative differences with director Tim Burton. Sondheim was expected to adapt his score for the holiday release, but instead frequent Burton musical collaborator Danny Elfman is being brought in to do the job, confirms Elfman’s agent Richard Kraft.
Sources close to the project claim this to be the culmination of an animus between Burton and Sondheim, which began last year with Burton’s insistence on casting actor Johnny Depp, whom he has worked with on Ed Wood and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, in the title role against Sondheim’s wishes. The Company composer wanted the actor to submit to a voice test before a deal was made. Burton thought it unnecessary and cast Depp in the role of the vengeful barber, notorious on the Broadway scene for its vocal difficulty.
The last straw allegedly occurred during a recent break in shooting to allow Depp to spend time with his ailing daughter. Burton asked Sondheim if he’d be willing to change parts of his score to better accommodate Depp’s vocal range, as well as that of his costar Sacha Baron Cohen.
“You should have thought of that during casting,” the composer fumed before storming off of the Pinewood set. Sondheim, who is currently working at Chicago’s Goodman Theatre on a musical inspired by the Bill Murray film Groundhog Day, couldn’t be reached for comment. Burton is now moving forward with Elfman expected to make the necessary changes.
“Don’t expect a total rewrite,” Kraft cautions about Elfman’s take on Sondheim’s legendary score. “[Elfman] is just going to change a tempo here, a high note there. Maybe slow down ‘A Little Priest.’ Sweeney Todd fans shouldn’t be worried.”
Sweeney Todd opens in limited release on December 21st.
Also, the reason the changes to the songs will be limited are due to Elfman’s tight schedule since Sony has asked him to replace Chris Young’s Spiderman 3 score. The new score will be recorded this week.
Lucius
Also, I forgot to mention that Elfman will be doing the music for Iron Man, Fantastic Four 2, Wolverine, and The Dark Knight.
Oh, and by the way, I forgot to say that MCA is releasing Music For A darkened Theater volumes 3-4 & 5 altogether for next halloween
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