In an Unprecedented Move, "Cats" to Get Improved Effects After a Few Days in Release

Scene (?) from Cats

It was never going to be easy for the cinematic version of Cats. The film comes over 40 years after its Broadway debut that made it one of the biggest shows in its history. The reviews haven't been any more favorable, and that leads some to wonder if it's even in the Oscar race anymore. Well, for those who saw Cats in the first 48 hours need to know that the version they saw no longer exists. No, the film wasn't pulled out of theaters due to embarrassment (in fact, Twitter will have you convinced it's a celebration of poor taste enthusiasts and theater kids). It's just getting a small update. Yes, despite being publicly released the film is pulling the unprecedented move of creating an "improved" version with better visual effects. It's a fascinating call, especially since what exactly is "improved" for Cats?

One of the most memorable moments of 2019 will be the day that the Cats trailer dropped. There were those who were traumatized by the look of the titular cats, who looked nothing like their stage counterparts. They didn't look much like cats either. They were some human hybrid with "digital fur" technology improving their image. The story goes that because of the trailer's ridicule, the Cats cast had to publicly persuade the audience to go see it even if it looked silly. Director Tom Hooper would add his name to the pile when he said that he not only heard about the criticisms to the trailer but that the effects weren't properly finished yet. They would, as he put it, be improved.

With the recent release of Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker currently in release, it feels worth noting another important example of editing a film after its release. George Lucas became notorious for constantly updating his films with new special effects that became a controversial decision. Even then, those were years and decades after their films' releases. With Cats, it hasn't even been a weekend. The film hasn't been allowed to even clock a weekend box office. Suddenly things are looking a whole lot different, literally, for those who will show up next week. They may see something different while repeat customers may be confused by the slight differences that will be added.

The story goes that Hooper struggled to get this film done on time. Speaking as the film missed a press screening that could've qualified it for Golden Globes, the special effects have remained the most notorious tool in this puzzle. On the sillier side are moments like Jason Derulo complaining that his genitals were shrunk and deleted (in Derulo's words: "They CGI-ed the dick out."). On the crazier, borderline unprofessional side is the other stuff. Leading up to the film's premiere this past week, Hooper claims to have spent 36-hours straight editing the film to make it look right. The film made its premiere, the reviews came out, the audiences got to see it in theaters that Friday. Still, Hooper is having some regrets over his art.

That's right, soon audiences will get to see "improved special effects" for Cats. According to a Hollywood Reporter article:

The updated movie will be available to download Sunday via a satellite server, while exhibitors who don't have access to the server will receive a hard drive by Tuesday, per Universal's note. The studio is asking that theaters replace the current print of Cats as soon as possible.

The legacy of Cats the movie is shaping up to be one of the most insane stories in modern Hollywood, and it hasn't even had a chance to say that it's aged poorly. Right now the film is being praised and mocked for being crazy and stupid and sometimes fun. Its CinemaScore currently sits at C+, which is far from a failing score but not any sign of accomplishment. With the box office not looking all that hot, add this as another mark on a film that could use some positive feedback. It doesn't seem likely, though there is a chance that Hooper is right and that the film will, in fact, be improved.

It's hard to suggest how it will be improved, especially given that Cats has been visually in the public consciousness for half a year now, allowing people's perspectives to take form and allow for potential design remodels. After all, Sony came under fire for similar complaints set against Sonic the Hedgehog's grotesque model that was thusly changed. Maybe Cats was always planned as a release on a certain day and to make these changes would result in a perceived shift in the box office. Still, what was the market for Cats in its current form, and why did Hooper need to direct it? There's so much to wonder, and it will make for a great behind the scenes book in time for its 10th anniversary. Until then, we can't help but appreciate what is shaping to be The Room of big studio musicals. If you like weirdness, feel free to enjoy it. Just know that it's probably not winning any Oscars, which makes the tragedy a little bit funnier in hindsight.