Cats to Prove Costly for Universal

Universal Pictures could be out $100 million thanks to its horribly received holiday film, Cats. The star-studded musical has drawn only $38.3 million globally, and $17.8 million in the US and Canada, since its Dec. 20 release, reports the Los Angeles Times. And though studio executives expect those numbers to keep climbing—domestic box-office sales are predicted to reach $30 million—the total is unlikely to match the $100 million spent to make the film. Rival studio executives say Universal, which spent another $100 million to market Cats, could be out as much as $100 million, per the CBC, while a source close to the project puts the potential loss at about $70 million, per the Times. Cats has already been pulled from awards consideration while Universal focuses on its Jan. 10 release, 1917, which has much better reviews. (More movies stories.)