As Beyonce prepares to become this generation’s ‘Nala’ with the live action remake of Disney’s The Lion King, her former Dreamgirls co-star and Oscar winner, Jennifer Hudson too has stepped-in the shoes of Grizabella, for the big-screen adaptation of the iconic stage musical – Cats.
The first trailer for the thrilling new feature, directed by Tom Hooper – who’s previously helmed projects like The King’s Speech and Les Misérables, came out this past week and it apparently didn’t go down well with a lot of people.
Despite the love and admiration Andrew Lloyd Webber’s original composition has received over the years, the new trailer apparently had a lot of things that didn’t quite strike a chord with folks.
While some complained about the shabby CGI, a few others weren’t too happy about the casting.
I don’t know what I expected from CATS’ “digital fur technology” but the short answer is NOT this.
My brain has melted. My eyes are bleeding. There is no god. pic.twitter.com/HMeM0ixal1
— Kristy Puchko (@KristyPuchko) July 18, 2019
Upon first viewing of the trailer, some people have also been feeling a bit creeped-out by the overall look that has been given to the cats, which according to them, verges it more as a ‘surrealism-based horror’ than a musical drama.
But is it really all that bad?
Okay ngl, this is terrifying * #catsmovie #cats #catsmusical #taylorswift #rebelwilson #jasonderulo #jenniferhudson #broadway
I for one don’t think so. The looks of all the cats brought out with the CGI may actually have been purpose-ful, to perhaps remind people, that its still folks in cats’ costumes – just like it was and has been on-stage.
Besides a powerhouse of talent and an incredible cast – which includes the likes of Judi Dench, Sir Ian McKellen, Taylor Swift, Idris Elba and Jennifer Hudson – this may very well be as ‘theatrical’ as fans of the original want it to be.
And with Tom Hooper behind the wheels and his previous stint with a high-octane musical, I have all the reasons to put my faith in this one, despite all the naysayers.
So, while the first trailer may have already divided folks, I certainly feel its worth giving it a shot.