Feline Frenzy: A Behind-the-Scenes Look at Cats Pitch Meeting

Summary

The 2019 adaptation of "Cats" was a critical and commercial failure, despite its star-studded cast.

The Broadway musical's storyline was ill-fitted for the cinematic adaptation as it lacked a clearly defined universe. The film's failure can be attributed to the choice of combining practical and CGI designs to portray the actors as cats, including the notorious rumored inclusion of "butthole" versions.

Screen Rant's Pitch Meeting series is revisiting its well-received Cats episode, reflecting on the 2019 movie musical's release. The film was based on T.S. Eliot's Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats and the Broadway production of the same name. It depicted the Jellicle cats gathering for the Jellicle Ball and competing for a chance to start a new life in the Heaviside Layer. Despite the impressive cast, including Francesca Hayward, Judi Dench, James Corden, Idris Elba, and Ian McKellen, the movie faced both critical and commercial failure upon release.

In the latest episode, host Ryan George looks back on the creation of the original Cats episode and his own theater experience. He recalls the confusion caused by families mistakenly thinking they were watching the English-dubbed version of a Chinese animated movie with the same title. Even after four years, George still finds it perplexing how the adaptation went so wrong, including the infamous rumors surrounding the alleged "Butthole Cut" of the movie.

Why Cats Adaptations Keep Failing

Unbeknownst to certain audiences prior to the release of the 2019 film Cats, there had already been a screen adaptation of Andrew Lloyd Webber's stage production. This initial adaptation was the 1998 direct-to-video movie, which essentially captured the Broadway show on film. Webber oversaw the orchestration and brought in original choreographer Gillian Lynne to train the actors. Similar to the 2019 version, the original Cats movie received predominantly negative reviews from critics. However, unlike its successor, it has gained a cult following through TV airings and home media releases.

Both adaptations have faced significant criticism due to the inherent challenge of translating the Broadway musical story to the screen. While some directors, such as David Lynch who often incorporates thematic visuals in storytelling, could have embraced the peculiar atmospheric essence of the source material, Tom Hooper was better recognized for his work in period dramas like The King's Speech and The Danish Girl. His successful adaptation of Les Misérables demonstrated his ability to handle a musical setting, although unlike Cats, that particular story was more conventional for screen adaptation.

The 2019 Cats movie faced a significant challenge due to the decision to incorporate a mixture of practical and CGI designs to transform the actors into the titular animals. This approach received criticism for elements such as Judi Dench still retaining her human hands and the infamous reported alternate version that featured displayed buttholes for the characters. Following the film's failure, many individuals involved in the production openly expressed their strong negative sentiments towards it. Rebel Wilson, for example, was horrified by its premiere screening, and Webber, in a lighthearted manner, referred to it as "off-the-scale all wrong" and even joked about getting a dog instead. Considering these two unsuccessful attempts, it appears highly unlikely that another movie adaptation of Cats will ever be successfully developed.