The Cats film will suffer a 100 million dollar loss

[Call_me_jorge]

Posted: 12/30/19 at 3:38pm

I haven’t seen it and probably won’t while it’s still at the theatre. This seemed like it would be a financial mess from the get go and I’m really not sure why they decided to push back Wicked in favor of this film. I wonder what the odds are of Wicked being pushed back even further due to this...

[ACL2006]

Posted: 12/30/19 at 3:40pm

This has to be considered one of the biggest flops of all time. Let's see how many Razzies this wins.

[Kad]

Posted: 12/30/19 at 4:03pm

Musical movies have been doing pretty well in the last ten years. One flop won't shelve projects. 

...it'll just shelve Hooper's career, and it should. 

[Joviedamian]

Posted: 12/30/19 at 4:53pm

" it'll just shelve Hooper's career, and it should."

I bet Hooper will still make non-musical drama's--as that is what he is good at or it might go the Chris Columbus route like he did after RENT.

Updated On: 12/30/19 at 04:53 PM

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 12/30/19 at 4:57pm

Sarah McClachlan should raise money for it. 

[SouthernCakes]

Posted: 12/30/19 at 5:02pm

Hooper has ruined 2 musical movies. Please stop.

I’d love to see Sam Mendes direct a movie musical.

[aliceripleyofficial]

Posted: 12/30/19 at 5:19pm

I would definitely say that the failure of Cats will only further delay Wicked(which already seemed to be in a deep coma)

[JSquared2]

Posted: 12/30/19 at 5:34pm

aliceripleyofficial said: "I would definitely say that the failure of Cats will only further delay Wicked(which already seemed to be in a deep coma)"

Nonsense.

 

[aliceripleyofficial]

Posted: 12/30/19 at 5:57pm

JSquared2 said: "aliceripleyofficial said: "I would definitely say that the failure of Cats will only further delay Wicked(which already seemed to be in a deep coma)"

Nonsense.
 

You still counting on 12/22/21 release date babe? Especially after Universal lost this much on a musical? Idts...

 

[Jarethan]

Posted: 12/30/19 at 7:00pm

I have never understood why anyone would have EVER considered making a movie of CATS.  To me, this had disaster written all over it once they announced that it would not be animated.  (Note: I am not sure it would have fared any better with animation, but it would not have been so stupid a concept).

On the other hand, Wicked sounds to me like the perfect subject for a big-budget movie.  Great story, better music overall, two great leading roles, with a few potential other good roles.  The only reason why CATS' failure might impact Wicked is if it is the same studio (per prior post) has financial issues as a result of the dismal CATS business.

 

[Tom5]

Posted: 12/30/19 at 7:09pm

I agree about Wicked. It's adaptable for a large format motion picture with an easily discernible story and an excellent score to start with. There is no clear story for CATS and with the exception of one good (but not great) song nothing of particular interest to the general public.

[Impossible2]

Posted: 12/30/19 at 7:29pm

ACL2006 said: "This has to be considered one of the biggest flops of all time."

Not even close.

[joevitus]

Posted: 12/30/19 at 7:38pm

Really, they had to try, just as they had to try with Phantom (a dreary nothing of a picture which now might end up looking perfectly adequate in comparison to this atrocity). The show is one of the biggest hits of all time, and even if only the people who love the show went to see this movie once just because they had to see for themselves, it would have returned some major bucks. So never making a movie of Cats just wasn't an option.

Doesn't make the finished product worth anyone's time, but there was just no way it wasn't going to get made, and made while ALW was around to green-light it (and thus for the resulting film to have that stamp of approval). It's VERY easy to see why this was made before Wicked. For reasons that have nothing to do with art, or even entertainment. 

[sabrelady]

Posted: 12/30/19 at 7:48pm

https://www.workandmoney.com/s/biggest-box-office-bombs-movie-flops-8225f2e154084d6b

[Alex Kulak2]

Posted: 12/30/19 at 8:06pm

If it loses that much money, it'll be the 12th biggest box office bomb in history. 

[jimmycurry01]

Posted: 12/30/19 at 8:14pm

SouthernCakes said: "Hooper has ruined 2 musical movies. Please stop.

I’d love to see Sam Mendes direct a movie musical. "

Ruined? Really? Les Miserables was a huge box office success, it was nominated for a huge number of awards, not only Academy Awards, but also in the guilds, and had generally favorable word-of-mouth. Just because you didn't like doesn't mean he ruined it. Unlike Cats, it was a success in every measurable way.

[MollyJeanneMusic]

Posted: 12/30/19 at 8:28pm

I know this isn't the only reason for this news, but can someone tell movie companies to stop releasing movies on the day of big blockbusters (Star Wars, Marvel, etc)?  It's getting old to always have to wonder if a movie could have done better if it wasn't pitted against a highly anticipated series.

[jimmycurry01]

Posted: 12/30/19 at 8:32pm

MollyJeanneMusic said: "I know this isn't the only reason for this news, but can someone tell movie companies to stop releasing movies on the day of big blockbusters (Star Wars, Marvel, etc)? It's getting old to always have to wonder if a movie could have done better if it wasn't pitted against a highly anticipated series."

This isn't a decision that is made lightly. Release dates are carefully planned and all data is analyzed before a release date is announced. The choice to release Cats the same weekend as Star Wars was not an accident. Thought was put into that decision. 

[David10086]

Posted: 12/30/19 at 9:16pm

I wonder where this leaves 'Sunset Boulevard' ? That was supposed to start filming a few months ago, and nothing has been updated since March / April of this year. 

[Brave Sir Robin2]

Posted: 12/30/19 at 10:01pm

SouthernCakes said: "I’d love to see Sam Mendes direct a movie musical."

 

I think, with his experience directing musicals on stage and warm films, he could make an excellent MISS SAIGON film.

In 2020 we have IN THE HEIGHTS, THE PROM, and WEST SIDE STORY, so I don't think an end to movie musicals is coming too soon. Plus, the ever-talked-about WICKED adaptation could be in the next few years.

 

[HanonO]

Posted: 12/30/19 at 10:31pm

"MollyJeanneMusic said: "I know this isn't the only reason for this news, but can someone tell movie companies to stop releasing movies on the day of big blockbusters (Star Wars, Marvel, etc)? It's getting old to always have to wonder if a movie could have done better if it wasn't pitted against a highly anticipated series."
 

I'm curious if the triangulation on this was "The audiences for Star Wars and Cats won't overlap at all, there's something for everyone!" 

 

[sabrelady]

Posted: 12/30/19 at 11:06pm

This isn't a decision that is made lightly. Release dates are carefully planned and all data is analyzed before a release date is announced. The choice to release Cats the same weekend as Star Wars was not an accident. Thought was put into that decision.

For those w more interest I'd like to recommend a book called "The Gross" by Peter Bart. It's 10 years old but goes into a lot of detail about films during the summer of 1998. It's very reminiscent of  Goldman's "The Season" w lots of interviews w many of the players at that time.  There is a section ( tho I can't find it that easily) that deals w the release date and esp which ones are most desired and the competitions for them.

I suspect they thought CATS would play well against  Skywalker Rising thinking that the demographics wouldn't overlap and they'd benefit from a more sophisticated mature crowd who would want an alternative to a  space opera  comic book.  To quote Pretty Woman " BIIIG Mistake!"

 

[SouthernCakes]

Posted: 12/30/19 at 11:34pm

Did it do that poorly internationally?

[sabrelady]

Posted: 12/31/19 at 12:06am

13.6 million from 38 foreign territories as per Variety 

[VintageSnarker]

Posted: 12/31/19 at 8:36am

Kad said: "Musical movies have been doing pretty well in the last ten years. One flop won't shelve projects.

...it'll just shelve Hooper's career, and it should."

Yes, please.