Cats star Jason Derulo thought the musical adaptation was going to change the world. The reaction to the movie caught him, and presumably everyone involved, by surprise when it was released in December 2019. Little did he know what reception was in store for the movie version of the hit Broadway show.
The moment the Cats trailer was released last year, the entire moviegoing world became skeptical. The imagery of the actors' faces placed on cat bodies - using "digital fur technology" - raised a lot of questions as well as inspiring speculation and memes about the film. Directed by Oscar-winning filmmaker Tom Hooper (The King's Speech) and featuring an all-star cast, including Derulo, Idris Elba, Judi Dench, Taylor Swift, Jennifer Hudson and James Corden, the pedigree behind the movie couldn't quell the snickering. When it hit theaters, the movie was critically panned, currently sitting at a 20 percent "fresh" rating on Rotten Tomatoes, and won numerous Razzie Awards, including Worst Picture and Worst Director.
The level of criticism shocked most involved. According to The Fader, Derulo thought the movie was going to "change the world" and he was "taken by the film from the jump." Derulo went on to say, "Even when I saw the trailer, I got chills down my spine!" The singer was cast as Rum Tum Tugger, in his first film role.
By Derulo's estimation, signing on to star in Cats made sense. He had been looking for the right project to make his screen debut and "Cats checked all the boxes," he said. He explained his rationale citing the all-star cast and an Oscar winner director as the reasons he thought he was in good hands for the movie. Also, he was fully aware of Cats' legacy as a stage production.
On paper, Cats does make sense as a hit, but the movie left a bad taste from the first moment of the trailer. A PG-rated musical released during Christmas often brings people to the theater, but Cats never found its audience as a movie. It only grossed $27 million at the domestic box office, with receipts adding up to almost $74 million worldwide. Besides the off-putting visuals and strange nature of the show, Cats simply wasn't ready to release when it did. This was made evident by the studio sending a new version of the movie with updated visual effects to theaters after it already opened.
If there's any positive side to living in infamy, Cats became "celebrated" as a piece of midnight cinema and sparked "rowdy screenings." It might never rise to the level of midnight madness fun The Room occupies, but one way or another, Cats will be remembered. Perhaps not for the reason everyone involved had intended.
Source: The Fader