The film adaptation of the Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Cats musical will soon hit the big screen, but the new trailer isn’t getting the best internet reviews. The two-minute sneak peek released Thursday (July 18), gives a first look at the cast, which includes Jennifer Hudson, Jason Derulo, Idris Elba, Taylor Swift, James Corden and Ian McKellen, decked out as felines.
Elba stars as the mysterious Macavity and Hudson portrays Grizabella the Glamour Cat who sings “Memory,” one of the musical’s most popular numbers. Derulo takes on Rum Tum Tugger, Corden plays Bustopher Jones, Swift is Bombalurina, and McKellen is Gus the Theater Cat. The all-star cast also features Dame Judi Dench as Old Deuteronomy.
Many of the bad Twitter reviews were due to the CGI technology making for an awkward final product that left some utterly confused, and maybe even terrified.
JENNIFER HUDSON AND JAMES CORDEN IN CATS (2019) Y’ALL DID DIRTY TO MY FELLAS #CatsMusical pic.twitter.com/oIICv76hHN
— papadenke (@papadenke) July 18, 2019
Idris Elba and Jason DeRulo in Cats (2019, Dir. Tom Hooper) pic.twitter.com/shRwcy80P0
— Freddie Benson (@DeeH_NYC) July 18, 2019
I CAN’T BELIEVE THEY DID THIS ON PURPOSE. pic.twitter.com/oItHY9G7s1
— Saeed Jones (@theferocity) July 18, 2019
THERAPIST: Jason Derulo cat isn’t real. He can’t hurt you.
JASON DERULO CAT: pic.twitter.com/Ex2YDbrW5O— mandrew (@knuckifyouzuck) July 18, 2019
Me trying to save Idris Elba from the CATS movie: pic.twitter.com/xlaIaAQNTh
— Ryan Aguirre (@aguirreryan) July 18, 2019
The 1981 musical, is based on T.S. Elliott’s Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats and centers around a cat collective known as the Jellicles, as they prepare to choose one feline for the “Jellicle choice” (where on cat will be reborn).
Cats is scheduled to hit theaters on December 20. Watch the trailer in the video above.