ALIEN VS PREDATOR - SWEENEY TODD CUTS UP THE COMPETITION IN BRITISH BOX OFFICE

SWEENEY TODD: THE DEMON BARBER OF FLEET STREET has sliced ALIEN VS PREDATOR: REQUIEM to shreds to replace the sci-fi thriller atop the U.K. and Ireland box office chart. The murder-musical, starring Johnny Depp as the fictional 19th century serial killer, raked in more than $9 million (GBP4.5 million) in ticket sales in its opening weekend (25-27Jan08), quadrupling the earnings of its nearest competitor, Alien vs Predator: Requiem. Romantic drama PS I Love You kept its position at number three for another week, while the Academy Award-nominated No Country For Old Men took fourth place, and British comedy St Trinian's climbed its way back into the top five in fifth position. Will Smith's futuristic thriller I Am Legend, which formerly held the number one spot for three weeks, fell from the top five after six weeks.