The much-anticipated movie version of this record-shattering stage musical hits theaters on Dec. 20. Featuring Andrew Lloyd Webber’s iconic music, it stars James Corden, Judi Dench, Jason Derulo, Idris Elba, Jennifer Hudson, Ian McKellen, Taylor Swift, Rebel Wilson and introduces Royal Ballet dancer Francesca Hayward in her feature film debut. Directed by Tom Hooper, the film reimagines the musical for a new generation, featuring amazing production design, state-ofthe-art technology and dance styles ranging from classical ballet to contemporary, hip-hop to jazz, and street dance to tap.
The original musical is based on T.S. Eliot’s book of poems Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats and follows a group of cats called the Jellicles, whose leader, Old Deuteronomy, must decide which of the cats will ascend to the Heaviside Layer and be reborn. Since its opening in the West End in 1981, Cats has been translated into more than 20 languages and performed all over the world and is now the fourth longest-running show in Broadway history.
