Tom Hooper’s nightmarish CGI adaptation of the beloved musical became one of cinema’s most spectacular failures, spawning endless memes about its uncanny valley digital fur technology and bizarre creative choices.
Trailer Terror
The first trailer for Cats dropped in July 2019 and immediately became viral nightmare fuel. The “digital fur technology” rendering human actors as anthropomorphic cats fell deep into the uncanny valley, creating unsettling hybrid creatures.
Social media exploded with horror, mockery, and disbelief. The hashtag trended worldwide as users shared screenshots of particularly disturbing frames, with many calling it the worst trailer of all time.
Production Chaos
Universal Pictures released the film in December 2019, then issued an updated version with “improved visual effects” to theaters days after premiere—an unprecedented post-release patch demonstrating the production’s dysfunction.
Director Tom Hooper (The King’s Speech, Les Misérables) made baffling creative choices: human-scale rats and cockroaches with human faces, cats wearing fur coats (over their fur), and Rebel Wilson unzipping her skin to reveal more skin.
Box Office Catastrophe
Made for $95 million, Cats earned just $75 million worldwide—a massive bomb. The 19% Rotten Tomatoes score reflected critical revulsion, with many calling it one of the worst films ever made.
Memorable Performances
Despite the disaster, Jennifer Hudson’s “Memory” performance was praised. Taylor Swift’s brief appearance as Bombalurina and Judi Dench as Old Deuteronomy became meme material.
James Corden and Rebel Wilson presenting at the 2020 Oscars dressed as their Cats characters acknowledged the film’s status as cultural punchline.
Meme Immortality
Cats achieved immortality as internet meme. The horrifying visuals, butthole controversy (VFX artists claimed they removed digitally rendered cat anuses), and general insanity made it endlessly mockable.
”Must Be Seen to Be Believed”
The film developed cult midnight movie status—something so bizarre it transcends traditional quality metrics and becomes experiential event.
References: Universal Pictures, Box Office Mojo, Rotten Tomatoes, Variety, VFX artist interviews