Yahoo News Taylor Swift's Cats trailer is here… and it's already very divisive
The long-awaited first real look at the Cats movie is here… and wow, it's really something.
The clip was released earlier than scheduled, after a previous behind-the-scenes featurette promised that the first first actual footage from Lord Andrew Lloyd Webber's movie music would be with us on Friday.
But when you have a trailer like this one, you just can't hold it back! It's essentially a montage of Cats' production numbers, with Jennifer Hudson singing the musical's signature song 'Memory'.
It's also so much more than that description because there's a lot of process.
Director Tom Hooper revealed in the behind-the-scenes feature that the cast would be covered in "the most perfect covering of fur" using digital technology.
As far as we can tell, the cast wore no actual cat costumes on set — fur was digitally overlaid on their bodies in post-production by Hooper's VFX team.
What we got definitely isn't something that many were expecting, and they weren't shy about expressing their opinions about this #DigitalFurTechnology.
(Warning: NSFW tweets below)
#digitalfurtechnology pic.twitter.com/tBbWCMo15t
— Joanna Robinson (@jowrotethis) July 18, 2019
Give me a minute to watch the #CatsMovie trailer. #digitalfurtechnology pic.twitter.com/RDIJjoTfvE
— @jazzt (@jazzt) July 18, 2019
"Digital Fur Technology" #Cats pic.twitter.com/8h9DdnsaBE
— Rakesh Satyal (@rakeshsatyal) July 18, 2019
Did someone say #digitalfurtechnology ? pic.twitter.com/6fCeNgszcy
— Katie (@notadaffodil) July 17, 2019
What the fuck... I literally saw the fur on Jason Derulo’s face GLITCH between several seconds and they still decided the shits were worthy for the teaser trailer... #Cats
— SANJAY (@SANJAY_MUSIC) July 18, 2019
There's a future Terminator movie where someone comes back from the future to try and destroy the inventor of Digital Fur Technology. #Cats
— Tony Broderick 🙃 (@brod) July 18, 2019
Director Tom Hooper also previously described the film as taking place on a "much bigger scale than you can possibly imagine" visually, with giant-sized sets dwarfing the cats.
The cats are definitely very small in the first-look teaser. In fact, it looks like they're dwarfed by kitchen shelves at one point.
All of these unusual creative choices certainly made for a surreal viewing experience:
Me when I watch the #Cats trailer pic.twitter.com/UzycLLgmSg
— Charlie Murphy (@n2nbaby90) July 18, 2019
New #Cats trailer be like pic.twitter.com/nDNVfZLq1Z
— Liam Parkin (@leparkin_) July 18, 2019
I have not recovered from the #Cats trailer. I mean, on the one hand, what did we all expect? On the other hand... pic.twitter.com/3mn49BtcFJ
— Ryan 🏳️🌈 (@sortathatguy) July 18, 2019
Just watching the Cats trailer. #Cats pic.twitter.com/PgAJIRtqFO
— Beverley Cross (@BeverleyCrossed) July 18, 2019
I can’t be the only one getting a “Where’s Your Head At” vibe from the #Cats trailer... pic.twitter.com/rqkcUbcZxd
— Rory Cashin (@roarEcashin) July 18, 2019
Trailer mood #cats pic.twitter.com/1LdZ9oM3M7
— Chris Dorman (@DormanSaysWhat) July 18, 2019
But which 2020 candidate will do something about the #Cats trailer
— Chelsea Frisbie (@ChelsFriz) July 18, 2019
Watching the #CATS trailer the first thought that popped into my mind was ‘STAY AWAY FROM THE BROWN ACID’.
— Tom Townend (@prairie_oysters) July 18, 2019
Hello it’s me, a person who has been traumatized by the #Cats trailer.
— Cati Pishal (@catipish) July 18, 2019
On the flipside, there were many who still have extremely high hopes for Hooper's ambitious vision (including a certain former Celebrity Big Brother troublemaker):
The #Cats trailer is here and I am genuinely SHOCKED! This is not cheesy. Or campy. This looks sophisticated! This looks Oscar worthy!!!! SO DAMN GOOD! Can’t wait to see it now! https://t.co/7GAVWfRu38 pic.twitter.com/QYkWt7rAKx
— Perez (@ThePerezHilton) July 18, 2019
I haven’t seen a single person say anything positive about this trailer which is surprising to me because I think this looks incredible. I’M SEEIN’ CATS, PEEPS! #cats https://t.co/fJrfOVWLop
— Jake Damon (@jakedamon) July 18, 2019
Wow the #Cats trailer looks great can’t wait to watch the movie! pic.twitter.com/HOwSO0q1jG
— Jo (@jo_bromilow) July 18, 2019
The #Cats trailer looks batshit crazy and is probably gonna surprise us all by being amazing.
— JB Bilbrey (@JBilbrey3) July 18, 2019
So the #CATS trailer looks kind of amazing?
— Nicholas Connors (@Nick_Connors) July 18, 2019
Whether you loved it or not, Taylor Swift recently described the movie's unique visual style as "the coolest things I've seen".
And frankly, it'd be catty to argue with her about it!
Cats is set for release in UK and US cinemas on December 20, 2019.
Want up-to-the-minute entertainment news and features? Just hit 'Like' on our Digital Spy Facebook page and 'Follow' on our @digitalspy Instagram and Twitter account.
('You Might Also Like',)
