'Ridiculous': Andrew Lloyd Webber slams Cats movie

Andrew Lloyd Webber has shared his thoughts on the Cats movie in a new interview. Photo / Getty Images

Remember when all we had to discuss was how strange the Cats movie was? It seems like a lifetime ago, and now the film is back in the headlines.

The creator of the musical has spoken out against the film. In an interview with The Sunday Times, Lloyd Webber let his true feelings about the movie adaptation be known.

He reckons the blame lies with director Tom Hooper.

"The problem with the film was that Tom Hooper decided that he didn't want anybody involved in it who was involved in the original show," he told the Times. "The whole thing was ridiculous."

When it was released in December 2019, the movie was trashed by critics and viewers for its bizarre use of CGI. It became so much of a punching bag that it inspired a joke at the Oscars.

via GIPHY

Dressed in Cats costumes, James Corden and Rebel Wilson presented the award for best visual effects.

They said: "As cast members of the motion picture Cats, nobody more than us understands the importance of visual effects."

Corden later addressed his role in the film on his talk show, reluctantly admitting he slightly regretted taking part in the movie.

Justin Bieber asked: "On a scale of one to 10, how much do you regret doing Cats?"

Corden replied: "I don't regret doing it at all, because I decided to do it in the same way I decided to do many things. Some have worked, some haven't. I'm going to put it at a solid 5 ... a 4.5."

Deadline reports the movie lost out on an estimated US$113 million ($170 million) at the box office. After its initial release, a version with "improved visual effects" was sent out.

The movie had an all-star cast, including Idris Elba, Sir Ian McKellen, Taylor Swift, and Judi Dench - plus Wilson and Corden. Despite this, critical reception was harsh. A critic from USA Today called it "outlandish" and "confusing". In a review for Australia's Herald Sun, the writer declared it "never once starts making sense".