'Into the Woods' is a return to form for Depp.
Ok, so Johnny Depp doesn't have a huge part in Into the Woods but it's worth mentioning that this enchanting musical drama effectively stops the rot for a man still considered the world's most in-demand actor. A modern twist on several of the beloved Brothers Grimm fairy tales, the movie is garnering critical acclaim and should perform strongly at the box-office.
Anna Kendrick stars in Into the Woods
Depp has a strong cast around him. The talented Anna Kendrick plays Cinderella, Lilla Crawford plays Little Red Riding Hood, Daniel Huttlestone plays Jack (and the Beanstalk), while James Corden and Emily Blunt form the basis of the original storyline, as a baker and his wife. Oh, and the world's greatest actress Meryl Streep plays the witch who puts a curse on the helpless couple.
More: Subversively witty Into The Woods was worth the wait
"With its ominous gnarled trees and enchanted look, Into the Woods is a place worth exploring," said Claudia Puig of USA Today.
"For years, composer and lyricist Stephen Sondheim's 1987 fairy tale mashup, written with librettist James Lapine, has hacked its way through the thicket of Hollywood development. And the movie now before us? Here's a relief: It's good," wrote Michael Phillips of the Chicago Tribune.
Meryl Streep, still the world's greatest actress, plays the witch
"Rumbles on for too long and has some dry patches here and there-but just when we're growing fidgety, we get another rousing musical number or another dark plot twist, and we're back in business," said Richard Roeper.
"Corden is a wonderfully funny, self-effacing bloke - I'm thrilled at the prospect of seeing him nightly, hosting his own show after Colbert. Maybe he'll have Emily Blunt as a guest. It's her movie," said David Edelstein of New York Magazine/Vulture.
More: at early screening, Into The Woods gathers Oscars buzz
Into the Woods' premiere comes five years to the day since producer Marc Platt and director Rob Marshall unveiled their last Broadway-to-movie adaptation, Nine. That film, starring Daniel Day-Lewis, grossed only around $20 million on a budget of $80 million.
The pair appear to have learnt their lesson. Into the Woods has been made for just $50 million and with these reviews - it'll make it back over the Christmas period.
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