Suffering from Cats-scratch fever after watching that tantalizing trailer all weekend? Eager to know more about the feline-filled film?
The new Cats movie famously features artists new to musical theater, from Royal Ballet principal Francesca Hayward to commercial dance sensations Les Twins to, you know, Taylor Swift.
But the casting team didn't ignore the show's stage roots. In addition to bringing on choreographer Andy Blankenbuehler, the man behind the latest Broadway revival's moves, it also hired several extremely accomplished dancers who are veterans of the Broadway, West End and/or touring productions of CATS. Here are a few of our favorites.
Jellicle obsessives, rejoice: There's a new video out that offers a (surprisingly substantive) look at the dancing that went down on the set of the new CATS movie.
The 2016 Broadway revival of CATS. Photo by Matthew Murphy
If the news about the upcoming CATS movie has your head spinning, we're right there with you. It seems like every week we have a bit more to share about the new film adaptation, which is set to release in December 2019. So, in order to keep it all straight, we present you with our master list of everything we know—our version of "The Naming of Cats," if you will. We'll add updates as they emerge.
Jennifer Hudson will play Grizabella in the upcoming movie version of CATS. Photo via Wikimedia Commons.
This time last month, we were wigging out when news broke that Wayne McGregor had been named choreographerfor the upcoming CATS movie. Sure, it made us scratch our heads, since the original dances by the late Gillian Lynne are as iconic as the Jellicle cats themselves. (There was even a stir when Andy Blankenbuehler was chosen to choreograph the 2016 Broadway revival based on Lynne's original moves.) But we definitely want to see what the abstract mind of McGregor can bring to this reboot.
But our biggest question is, Who will be stepping into the catsuits?
Rehearsals for "America" from the 1961 film version of West Side Story. Photos by Friedman-Abeles/(c) The New York Public Library
We'll admit it: When we peruse Broadway's offerings each season, sometimes we bemoan the lack of original stories being portrayed onstage. Songbook musicals, revivals, or shows based on existing TV series or films have become a stronghold (and often a sure bet) for Broadway producers. But when a good redux comes along—like this season's surprisingly delightful SpongeBob SquarePants, based on the TV show of the same name—we can appreciate that.
Now, the silver screen has come knocking on Broadway's door for the reverse scenario: film adaptations of smash stage musicals. It's certainly nothing new, but right now there's a deluge of musicals that have nascent Hollywood dreams. The process can take years (and many stories die along the way), but there are a few exciting movies in the pipeline that we think have a pretty good chance of succeeding.
