Welcome to the dark and haunting streets of Victorian London, where revenge is served with a razor’s edge. Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (2007), directed by Tim Burton, is a gothic musical horror that tells the chilling tale of a wronged barber who returns from exile with vengeance on his mind. With mesmerizing performances, haunting songs, and a macabre atmosphere, the film is a twisted masterpiece.
Think you remember every cut, note, and sinister secret? Test your knowledge with this 10-question trivia challenge — but beware, only true fans of Burton’s bloody musical will make it out unscathed!
Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street Trivia Questions & Answers
1) Who directed Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (2007)?
Correct Answer: Tim Burton
Tim Burton brought his signature gothic style to this cinematic adaptation of Stephen Sondheim’s musical. Known for his dark visuals and eccentric storytelling, Burton was the perfect fit for this macabre tale of murder, madness, and music. His collaboration with Johnny Depp and composer Danny Elfman once again proved hauntingly effective.
2) Which actor plays the title role of Sweeney Todd?
Correct Answer: Johnny Depp
Johnny Depp stars as Sweeney Todd, delivering a haunting performance filled with rage, sorrow, and subtle vulnerability. Depp underwent vocal training for the role and surprised many with his powerful singing voice. His portrayal earned him a Golden Globe and an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor.
3) What is Sweeney Todd’s real name before returning to London?
Correct Answer: Benjamin Barker
Before adopting the name Sweeney Todd, the character was known as Benjamin Barker — a loving husband and father who was unjustly imprisoned by Judge Turpin. His transformation into the vengeful barber is driven by the loss of his wife, daughter, and identity, turning him from man to myth.
4) Who is Mrs. Lovett in the story?
Correct Answer: A pie shop owner and Sweeney’s accomplice
Mrs. Lovett, played by Helena Bonham Carter, is a darkly comedic figure who owns a failing pie shop beneath Sweeney’s barber shop. She becomes his partner in crime, baking the victims of his murderous rage into meat pies. Her twisted love for Todd drives many of the story’s most horrific decisions.
5) Which villainous judge is responsible for Sweeney’s exile and family’s downfall?
Correct Answer: Judge Turpin
Judge Turpin, played by Alan Rickman, is the cruel antagonist who covets Barker’s wife, Lucy, and orchestrates his imprisonment. He later takes Barker’s daughter Johanna as his ward, intending to marry her. His actions spark the entire narrative of vengeance and retribution.
6) What unusual ingredient is used in Mrs. Lovett’s meat pies?
Correct Answer: Human flesh
In a grim twist, Mrs. Lovett’s pies become wildly popular after she begins using the remains of Sweeney’s victims as filling. This gruesome solution to both of their problems adds a layer of morbid satire, as the working class unknowingly consumes the very essence of Todd’s revenge.
7) What is the name of the young sailor who helps Sweeney return to London?
Correct Answer: Anthony Hope
Anthony Hope is the kind-hearted sailor who rescues Sweeney at sea and later falls in love with Johanna, Sweeney’s daughter. His optimism and moral clarity contrast sharply with the darkness that engulfs the rest of the characters. Anthony represents hope and redemption, though he too becomes entangled in the violence.
8) Who sings “A Little Priest” in the film?
Correct Answer: Sweeney Todd and Mrs. Lovett
“A Little Priest” is a darkly humorous musical number where Sweeney and Mrs. Lovett brainstorm the “types” of people to include in their pies, riffing on professions and social status. It’s one of the most clever and chilling songs in the film, blending wordplay with grotesque imagery.
9) What happens to Lucy, Sweeney Todd’s wife?
Correct Answer: She goes mad and becomes a beggar
Believing Lucy dead, Sweeney learns too late that she survived a suicide attempt and became a mentally ill beggar on the streets of London. In a tragic twist, he unknowingly kills her near the film’s end. This moment shatters Todd completely, driving home the devastating cost of his obsessive vengeance.
10) How does the story of Sweeney Todd end for the title character?
Correct Answer: He is killed by Tobias Ragg
In the final moments, Tobias — the young boy who had worked for both Pirelli and Mrs. Lovett — discovers the horrific truth. Traumatized and furious, he kills Sweeney Todd with his own razor. The ending is operatic in its finality, with nearly every major character dead and justice served in the bloodiest way imaginable.
