Try not to cry folks, but a movie many call one of the worst films of all-time is leavingNetflixin January. That means your days are numbered to relive the magic of a certain film based on an Andrew Lloyd Webber musical which features the likes of Taylor Swift in its cast. Send those streaming numbers up guys before this feline frenzy is no longer able to be watched, admired and dissected on their platform.
As hard as this is to announce, the 2019 big screen adaptation of the musicalCatsis leaving Netflix very soon. 2024 has been an incredible year for musicals, thanks mostly to the soaring box office of Wicked - Part One. However, 2019 was a very different story for this big screen Broadway adaptation. There is likely an audience for the much-malignedCats,either from people who found those creepy CGI fur effects appealing (I’m sure they’re out there) or from those who simply haven’t yet experienced it. All views will be accepted and respected.
Catsis based on the 1981 musical of the same name, which was actually based on the 1939 poetry collectionOld Possum’s Book of Practical Catsby T.S. Eliot. Directed by Tom Hooper from a screenplay by Hooper and Lee Hall, the film follows a tribe of cats known as Jellicles who have to decide yearly who will ascend to the Heavenside Layer and return to a new Jellicle life. The film features a stacked ensemble cast that includes Judi Dench, James Corden, Jason Derulo, Idris Elba, Jennifer Hudson, Ian McKellen,Taylor Swift, Rebel Wilson and Francesca Hayward.
Cats Was Quickly Ripped Apart by Critics And Moviegoers
Catswas in a position to potentially be good, given Hooper helmed the movie adaptation ofLes Misérables, which received positive reviews, was nominated for eight Academy Awards and grossed $442.8 million at the global box office. However, that same praise wasn’t given toCats, which quickly emerged as a major critical and financial misfire. The movie registered a 19% Tomatometer score on Rotten Tomatoes with a consensus that reads,“Despite its fur-midable cast, thisCatsadaptation is a clawful mistake that will leave most viewers begging to be put out of their mew-sery.”
The movie went on to receive several Razzie Nominations, going on to be named the Worst Picture of the Year. Even Lloyd Webber wascritical of the film, going on to say, “The problem with the film was that Tom Hooper decided that he didn’t want anybody involved in it who was in the original show.”
Jennifer Hudson Defends Cats: It’s Unfortunate That It Was Misunderstood
Jennifer Hudson is proud of her work in Cats and believes that time will be kind to the movie, noting that it was merely ‘misunderstood’ by today’s audiences.
Despite a prime December release date when films tend to have a holiday market to bolster their takings,Catsstill flopped, grossing $27.2 million domestically and $74.6 million worldwide against a $95 million budget. Universal Pictures reportedly lost $113.6 million on the project. Perhaps they should’ve listened to Llyod Webber, whoreportedly told Universal,“You’ve got a car crash on your hands unless you get a grip on this thing.”
Catsis still available to stream on Netflix until January, so get those watches in while you can!
