Cats (1998 film) Carbucketty being renamed Tumblebrutus and Pouncival, respectively. Cats (1998 film) Cats is a 1998 direct-to-video musical film based on the stage musical "Cats" by Andrew Lloyd Webber, itself based on the novel "Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats" by T. S. Eliot. Lloyd Webber himself personally oversaw orchestration for the film and called on Gillian Lynne, the original show's choreographer, to personally train the cast for the film. Trevor Nunn, the original director, did not serve as the director of this production. Andrew Lloyd Webber and others on the production team for the film wanted to keep the feeling that
Cats (musical) 2018 to February 1, 2019. The film's release date is set for December 20, 2019. On August 31, 2018, it was reported that Ian McKellen will play Gus the Theatre Cat and that Steven Spielberg will executive produce the film. On September 25, 2018, Laurie Davidson joined the cast. A day later, Mette Towley, who is best known for her choreography work with Pharrell, will be making her big screen debut in Universal/Working Title’s growing cast of Cats as Jemima. In October 2018, Idris Elba signed on as Macavity. Shortly after this announcement, Judi Dench, who had been slated to