If you’re not one of the lucky ones who saw the musical Cats when it visited in Manila in 2010, fret not. The musical is set to have a film adaptation, and it will be directed by Tom Hooper, who also directed the adaptation of the musical Les Miserables.
The project is still in its early stages, and doesn’t have any information on screenwriting and casting, and whether it will be live-action, CGI, or a mix of both.
Cats is based on T.S. Eliot’s Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats, a volume of poems, and tells the story of a group of felines who gather each year to choose one cat who will go to heaven and be reborn.
The musical made its debut in 1981, with composition by Andrew Lloyd Weber, and has become one of the longest-running shows in Broadway history. This year, it will be revived on Broadway and will have tours in Australia, the UK, Japan, France, and Switzerland. It won two Laurence Olivier Awards and seven Tony Awards. One of its most famous songs is “Memory,” which Lea Salonga performed as Grizabella in the Manila run of Cats.
Besides Les Miserables, Hooper has also directed The King’s Speech and The Danish Girl.
Watch Elaine Page, who played Grizabella in the original London cast, perform “Memory” at the Royal Albert Hall below:
Watch Salonga sing “Memory” as Grizabella below:
What are you most excited to see in the film adaptation of Cats? Share your thoughts below!
