Burton, Depp popularity yield box office cash
TOKYO — Propelled by the popularity of Johnny Depp, “Sweeney Todd” topped the Japanese B.O. last weekend, making Y398.2 million ($3.76 million) on 400 screens for a screen average of $9,400.
Distrib Warner projects a $28.3 million final B.O.
Most of the weekend aud were Depp’s female fans, a Warner rep said. “The combination of Johnny Depp and Tim Burton is what has made this film a success, not just Depp alone,” the rep added.
Depp’s “Pirates of the Caribbean: World’s End” earned $102.8 million to top the Japanese B.O. for 2007.
Meanwhile, the heavily hyped “Silk,” an international co-production set largely in Japan and starring Keira Knightley and local thesps Sei Ashina and Koji Yakusho, opened a weak No. 8 at the weekend B.O with $557,226.
