CATS Film Adaptation Thread- Page 3

[PatrickDC]

Posted: 7/23/18 at 7:55pm

I won’t get into the debate over live versus CGI. I love CATS ... or did for many years. I thought it was clever and a fun show to watch. I’ve seen it enough time’s and different productions that I have no interest in revisiting it on stage or film.

My question though is why. The film they made in 1998 — has it really been 20 years?? — was very good. There is need for a remake now or forever

[chernjam]

Posted: 7/23/18 at 8:25pm

PatrickDC said: "I won’t get into the debate over live versus CGI. I love CATS ... or did for many years. I thought it was clever and a fun show to watch. I’ve seen it enough time’s and different productions that I have no interest in revisiting it on stage or film.

My question though is why. The film they made in 1998 — has it really been 20 years?? — was very good. There is need for a remake now or forever "

 

Yeah I realize we're going to get very subjective here... but it still saddens me that I can't see a filmed production of Aspects of Love or Sunset Boluevard or any of the others of ALW's that I really loved - but have multiples of JCS and Phantom, as well as  Joseph, Cats, Love Never Dies, (even By Jeeves)

Unless they've come up with something incredibly creative, clever and innovative, I'm really surprised they're doing this 

 

[Scarlet Leigh]

Posted: 7/23/18 at 9:57pm

Re: No real plot.

It makes me wonder if they would flesh out some of the long, long, LONG fan "theories" about the show in place of dancing. Seriously, google 'Cats the Musical Head cannons' and it's a heck of a can of worms yet there might be SOME weight to it.

There was a dressing room "Character Study" on Broadway.com's YT with Mamie Parris where she basically dishes out a BUNCH of backstory into Grizabella that is not mentioned at ALL in the musical but it seems was developed into the characters motivations. At least for the revival. There is no telling if this is a backstory that has been used in OTHER professional productions of the show or is unique to how the director interpreted the script for the revival. Either way, once you hear what she has to say, you can KINDA see this never clearly spoken of backstory in the way the characters interact with one another. It adds extra layers not just to Grizabella but Macavity and Demeter are a part of this backstory as well.

What I am basically getting at is that there IS potential to flesh out more plot then just "Cats meet up to send one cat to heaven" but it becomes a challenge then as the director and writers adapting the musical would have to, at long last, set in stone long open to interpretation theories of fans. And all fans have their own interpretations of what they see on the stage when they see the musical so if they do go this route, they could potential piss some Cats megafans off if they go in completely different directions with certain characters.

[BroadwayNoob]

Posted: 7/23/18 at 11:30pm

Scarlet Leigh said: "Re: No real plot.

It makes me wonder if they would flesh out some of the long, long, LONG fan "theories" about the show in place of dancing. Seriously, google 'Cats the Musical Head cannons' and it's a heck of a can of worms yet there might be SOME weight to it.

There was a dressing room "Character Study" on Broadway.com's YT with Mamie Parris where she basically dishes out a BUNCH of backstory into Grizabella that is not mentioned at ALL in the musical but it seems was developed into the characters motivations. At least for the revival. There is no telling if this is a backstorythat has been used in OTHER professional productions of the show or is unique to how the director interpreted the script for the revival. Either way, once you hear what she has to say, you can KINDA see this never clearly spoken of backstory in the way the characters interact with one another. It adds extra layers not just to Grizabella but Macavity and Demeter are a part of this backstory as well.

What I am basically getting at is that there IS potential to flesh out more plot then just "Cats meet up to send one cat to heaven" but it becomes a challenge then as the director and writers adapting the musical would have to, at long last, set in stone long open to interpretation theories of fans. And all fans have their own interpretations of what they see on the stage when they see the musical so if they do go this route, they could potential piss some Cats megafans off if they go in completely different directions with certain characters."

 

 

The musical was based off of a book so they hopefully could be delving deeper in to these characters to make this in to an actual story. I can't imagine Taylor Swift, James Corden, or Ian McKellan being proficient dancers

[Ado Annie D'Ysquith]

Posted: 7/24/18 at 12:41am

Chernjam's reference to the songs being an "audition" for the Heaviside Layer just gave me a wild idea. Go meta. Go camp to the max.

A slew of A-list actors (padded out with a handful of Broadway dancers) line up in a rehearsal studio, A Chorus Line-style. Andrew Lloyd Webber, as himself, sits at a table and explains that he is trying them all out for the lead role in a film adaptation of one of his musicals. Important: He doesn't disclose any details. (The equivalent of "I Hope I Get It" here becomes the Jellicle Cat Song.)

Swift, Corden, McKellan, etc. all do their routines. Like Marshall's CHICAGO, each number is a unique vignette that takes place in the mind of the performer. At the climax, when Hudson finishes "Memory" and Webber is about to give her the role...he gets a phone call.

"What's that, Casting? We're going in a different direction? Mmhmm. Okay, sounds great. Sorry guys." Everyone departs, confused, as the screen fades to black over some melancholy piano music.

After a moment, the Phantom Overture blares throughout the cinema as audiences witness Tommy Wiseau shooting a scene as the Phantom. Everything comes to an abrupt halt as he looks up and asks for a line cue. Webber exclaims, "For f**k's sake Tommy!" and then the credits roll.

[Scarlet Leigh]

Posted: 7/24/18 at 2:15am

BroadwayNoob said: "The musical was based off of a book so they hopefully could be delving deeper in to these characters to make this in to an actual story. I can't imagine Taylor Swift, James Corden, or Ian McKellan being proficient dancers"

 

Yeeeeeeeeeah except that the entire book of poems is just the lyrics of the musical. Now that I think about it.... the musical is more or less a 2 and a half hour reading of all the poems in the book with music and dance. There is nothing more in the poems that is not already in the musical itself.

[natashalost]

Posted: 7/24/18 at 10:48am

Any rumors about who's playing Rum Tum Tugger? This casting will certainly be interesting...

[sueb1863]

Posted: 7/24/18 at 7:31pm

The only way this can work is if they keep a handful of the best songs, junk the rest, and build an entirely new plot around Grizzabella, Macavity's efforts against the cats, and Old Deuteronomy. A very loosely connected collection of cat songs isn't going to cut it in a movie.


It will probably bear about as much resemblance to the original show as the "Peter Rabbit" CGI movie bears to the original Beatrix Potter book, or the 'Polar Express' movie bears to the picture book it was based on. Or any of the recent Dr. Seuss adaptations. There will be a bare outline of the original and a ton of new added stuff.

Updated On: 7/25/18 at 07:31 PM

[Adam Chris]

Posted: 7/24/18 at 10:50pm

Truly, nobody is asking for this movie. In the meanwhile, where is the Sunset Blvd movie we've been waiting for since '95? Oh my gosh, I'm dating myself.

[BroadwayConcierge]

Posted: 11/20/18 at 6:03pm

https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/Singer-Jason-Derulo-To-Play-Rum-Tum-Tugger-in-CATS-Film-20181120

..what is this movie???????

[Justin D]

Posted: 11/22/18 at 11:25am

part of me thinks they will take a very 'out of left field' approach to this

like someone telling a story about cats to a child at a party or something and all the guests in the child's imagination act out the scenes. or something drastic like a post-apocolaptic theatre troop decide to put on the show in an old junk yard for laughs and sentimentality, lol

But someone did say that they heard that it will be a motion capture kind of thing, which I think is a shame since i cant see an anatomically correct cat dancing around the place and singing, nor can I see human shaped cats in cgi singing and dancing in 2019 being taken seriously

[Plannietink08]

Posted: 11/22/18 at 1:01pm

I’m most excited to see Todrick Hall bitch on Twitter about not being cast in this.

[Sondheimite]

Posted: 11/22/18 at 1:06pm

Plannietink08 said: "I’m most excited to see Todrick Hall bitch on Twitter about not being cast in this."

This made me cackle

 

[disneybroadwayfan22]

Posted: 11/24/18 at 8:38am

When are they even filming if the movie should be out around this time next year?

[everythingtaboo]

Posted: 11/29/18 at 6:33pm

Finally, some casting that makes sense!

Robbie Fairchild to Play Munkustrap in ‘Cats’ Movie Adaptation (EXCLUSIVE)

[Scarlet Leigh]

Posted: 11/29/18 at 7:13pm

everythingtaboo said: "Finally, some casting that makes sense!

Robbie Fairchild to Play Munkustrap in ?Cats’ Movie Adaptation (EXCLUSIVE)"

They did it! They got ONE right! They finally did it you guys!

[MauraLovesMusicals]

Posted: 11/30/18 at 12:04pm

Plannietink08 said: "I’m most excited to see Todrick Hall bitch on Twitter about not being cast in this."

i can’t get on twitter right now, can someone send me some screenshots. todrick hall whining on twitter is what i need right now XD

 

[JP2]

Posted: 11/30/18 at 12:26pm

Scarlet Leigh said: "They did it! They got ONE right! They finally did it you guys!"

 

 

Ian McKellen is literally playing the Ian McKellen cat. 

[serena221b]

Posted: 12/27/18 at 5:52pm

Cats Movie Musical Officially Begins Filming; Full Cast Revealed

I'm just going to leave this here. But I will say that after reading this, my belief that this is totally going to bomb has only strengthened. What do you guys think?

[chernjam]

Posted: 12/27/18 at 6:35pm

Serena - thanks for sharing that article... 
The whole thing is kind of a risky thing for Universal.  They're obviously investing a lot of star power into this - and honestly, Cats is kind of dated (had they filmed it back in the early 2000s when it was still "now and forever" on broadway and west end that would've been one thing.  both have now had limited revivals that really never caught fire).  So it will either tank big time or will revitalize the fan base and probably spur talks of revivals again.  

If this were a bet, I'd put a small wager on it being a limited success only because of all the star power and name recognition for many older audiences that will go to see it for nostalgia sake.  If they pull it off and are able to pull in younger audiences it could be a big hit - but it's really hard for me to imagine a show I didn't care for (because there was no real story) translating well to film

[serena221b]

Posted: 12/27/18 at 6:57pm

chernjam said: "Serena - thanks for sharing that article...
The whole thing is kind of a risky thing for Universal. They're obviously investing a lot of star power into this - and honestly, Cats is kind of dated (had they filmed it back in the early 2000s when it was still "now and forever" on broadway and west end that would've been one thing. both have now had limited revivals that really never caught fire). So it will either tank big time or will revitalize the fan base and probably spur talks of revivals again.

If this were a bet, I'd put a small wager on it being a limited success only because of all the star power and name recognition for many older audiences that will go to see it for nostalgia sake. If they pull it off and are able to pull in younger audiences it could be a big hit - but it's really hard for me to imagine a show I didn't care for (because there was no real story) translating well to film"

Yeah, I can't argue with you there. For me personally, I'm kind of split on Cats as a musical. Like you said, there's no real story, but I still love the music.

But that aside, I'm really disappointed in the people behind this because the cast for the most part is made up of people who have little to no musical theatre experience whatsoever and are just there for star power. And for those who are the exception to that rule, I honestly don't think they were the right fit for this musical. I mean, I love Jennifer Hudson, but I just don't think that Grizabella is the right role for her. Grizabella does not have a powerhouse voice, she just doesn't. And James Corden as Bustopher Jones, well...we'll just have to see how that goes. But I am a little happy that they did cast some real dancers such as Francesca Hayward, Steven McRae, and Robert Fairchild (insanely happy about Robert Fairchild), who all play Victoria, Skimbleshanks, and Munkustrap respectively. And that gives me a very tiny bit of faith. But other than that, I just don't have high hopes for this movie. It's honestly like 2004's Phantom of the Opera all over again (still waiting for a redo on that one, by the way).

 

Updated On: 12/27/18 at 06:57 PM

[FANtomFollies]

Posted: 7/15/19 at 8:42pm

I would normally think maybe this is a joke but Alamo Drafthouse is completely legit. Has this been reported by an other news outlet / source?

https://twitter.com/AlamoNYC/status/1150923293807009792

[chernjam]

Posted: 7/15/19 at 9:11pm

Yeah - ALW was speaking about the trailer this morning in an interview in the UK about how he and Taylor Swift watched it over and over about 10 times - so I would think that's to get the hype going for the trailer coming out

[AADA81]

Posted: 7/15/19 at 9:53pm

I recall fondly some of the dialog in 'Six Degrees of Separation':

(Incredulously) "They're making a movie of 'Cats'?'

(Incredulously) 'All because you were excited about the possibility of being in a movie where a bunch of cats figure out who gets to go to kitty-kat heaven!'

[kofler22]

Posted: 7/16/19 at 11:50am

Are they saying that a trailer is coming soon?