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Cats CGI changed following trailer backlash

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In the past films had to rely on elaborate costumes, make-up and sets to create the right atmosphere and visuals. These days it’s comparatively easier for filmmakers to simply rely on CGI. Could they be relying on it too much though? This year we have already seen some questionable CGI showed off in trailers (mostly involving the colour blue) with Aladdin and Sonic the Hedgehog, the former ending up much better than expected and the latter since going through significant redesigns as a result of the backlash.

Without a doubt, the worst fright regarding CGI has been Tom Hooper’s Cats trailers. The film adaptation of the popular musical does away with the costumes and make-up that the Broadway show has always relied on and instead uses a lot of CGI to brings its world of humanoid cats to life. Something which resulted in not only the first trailer looking ridiculous but, altogether unnecessary too.

According to director Tom Hooper though, its criticism they’ve listened to though as he revealed in an interview with Empire that the team has made changes to the CGI following the backlash from that first trailer:

I was just so fascinated because I didn’t think it was controversial at all. So, it was quite entertaining. The film’s visual effects artists found in the extremity in some of the responses, some clues in how to keep evolving [the production] and [the cats’ designs] have moved on since then, and certainly our understanding of how to use the technology to make them work has gone up, too.

How he was happy with the early version of the CGI is anyone’s guess and perhaps shows that some filmmakers are a little out of touch with the expectations of audiences. I guess the bigger question is why they went the CGI heavy route at all (given the crazy high costs involved)? Especially for a movie where people will probably end up watching it regardless because of the songs they love from the stage production.   

I will admit that the second trailer for the movie was a lot better than the first, but it’s still too early to judge. We will have to wait for the final product when the film releases on December 20th. Aladdin proved to everyone that some poor CGI in a trailer doesn’t mean a bad final product and hopefully, this will be the case with this movie. How it will go about competing against Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, which releases on the same day, is another matter entirely.

Last Updated: November 29, 2019

66 Comments

  1. Yozzie

    November 29, 2019 at 09:36

    Who exactly is backlashing this?

    Reply

  2. Original Heretic

    November 29, 2019 at 10:09

    This is a classic example of being “too close” to the project.
    Having worked on it from the start, he’s seen the progress that was made. Unlike audiences who were suddenly introduced to it.
    So for him, he was comparing the initial stuff to the “final” product. That’s likely why he was happy with it.

    Reply

  3. Admiral Chief

    November 29, 2019 at 09:30

  4. Pariah

    November 29, 2019 at 09:30

    I truly didn’t share people’s concerns about the CGI. To me it just looked like a great movie, the CGI didn’t even enter my mind.

    Reply

    • Admiral Chief

      November 29, 2019 at 09:30

      Thoughts on Sonic vs Sanic debacle? (the first kak CGI vs true fix?)

      Reply

      • Pariah

        November 29, 2019 at 09:36

        Oh that one is clear as day. Nightmare to actual sonic.

        Reply

        • Admiral Chief

          November 29, 2019 at 09:37

          I dunno, I think the “nightmare” truly embraces the SANIC mentality

          Reply

          • Pariah

            November 29, 2019 at 09:37

            Yeah, but I sincerely doubt that’s what they were going for. Intentionally, anyway. They achieved it, without any doubt. Proper Sanic irl vibes. It’s better now.

          • Admiral Chief

            November 29, 2019 at 12:05

            Well, it generated publicity, and I’d say, well done, they got it

          • Pariah

            November 29, 2019 at 15:25

            Yeah it got the publicity indeed. I’m not a fan of conspiracy theorists though with the whole “they did this just to generate that publicity”. I just think it was a disconnect by the people in charge, as per our other comment thread here.

          • Admiral Chief

            November 29, 2019 at 15:25

            Agreed

  5. Admiral Chief

    November 29, 2019 at 09:30

    I don’t get it. It seems there is just such a MAJOR disconnect between the screen-testers, the focus groups, etc etc, and the actual fans or just ANYONE with just 7kg of common sense. This applies to movies, games, series….the list goes on

    Are these just shown to echo chambers or are they bribed or is the general populace just so damn stooooooopid that it is ignored?

    Good grief, I either weep for society, or I facepalm so hard because of the state of affairs.

    Reply

    • Pariah

      November 29, 2019 at 09:36

      The thing is – the people in charge have to approve the stuff. And usually those specific people are very disconnected from the general public. It may well be that a lot of the people working on the products are sitting there going “I can’t believe I have to do this, but that’s what the boss wants.”

      Reply

      • Admiral Chief

        November 29, 2019 at 12:05

        I can’t believe I have to do this, but that’s what the boss wants

        Zigactly, utterly sad state of affairs in the world

        usually those specific people are very disconnected from the general public

        Also so, so true

        Reply

  6. Kromas

    November 29, 2019 at 09:37

    Sanic knows da wey!

    Reply

    • Admiral Chief

      November 29, 2019 at 10:02

      DA *WEI

      You Philistine!

      Reply

      • Kromas

        November 29, 2019 at 10:46

        da wey! I actually use VR Chat you barbarian!

        Reply

  7. HairyEwok

    November 29, 2019 at 11:48

    CATS! Ahaaaaaaa saviors of the universe!

    Reply

  8. Gr8_Balls_o_Fire

    November 30, 2019 at 14:24

    On December 20th, I will be at home, in comfort, watching the Witcher.

    Reply

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