The Moment of Happiness: Cats Movie Musical Arrives in Cinemas

The highly anticipated feature film adaptation of the hit Broadway musical Cats, helmed by the 2012 Les Misérables movie director Tim Hooper, debuts in theaters on December 20.

Cats is the latest among a stream of movie-musical remakes using the magic of modern film production—and yes, enough CGI to turn world-class actors in human-cat hybrids—to bring to fan-favorite musical-theater gems to the screen. While the cat Munkustrap acts as a master of ceremonies in the stage musical, the movie is seen through the eyes of Victoria, played by Francesca Hayward. The movie was made a viral sensation when Universal released its first theatrical trailer earlier this year.

Andrew Lloyd Webber's 1982 Tony-winning Best Musical ran for 18 years on Broadway. It is among a small group of 1980s mega-musicals which brought global fandom and international capital to the Broadway industry. Based on T.S. Eliot's 1939 tome "Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats" and written as an alchemy of the concept musical and revue, Cats follows a tribe of felines called the Jellicles, assembling to decide which among them will ascend to the Heaviside Layer, and gave audiences such favorite songs as "Memory" and "Mr. Mistoffelees."

The film, written by Lee Hall and Hooper, stars Idris Elba as Macavity, Taylor Swift as Bombalurina, Ian McKellen as Gus the Theatre Cat, Rebel Wilson as Jennyanydots, James Corden as Bustopher Jones, Judi Dench as Old Deuteronomy, Mette Towley as Cassandra, Ray Winstone as Growltiger, Laurie Davidson as Mr. Mistoffelees, Jennifer Hudson as Grizabella, Naoimh Hudson as Rumpleteazer, Jason Derulo as Rum Tum Tugger, Laurent Bourgeois as Socrates, Robbie Fairchild as Munkustrap and Hayward as Victoria.

Check out the trailer below and make your way to cinemas now.