Q

Why are we laughing at Cats, but taking The Lion King seriously?

The q screen panel compares The Lion King to the much talked-about trailer for Cats, which has the internet reacting in horror.
This image released by Disney shows Nala, voiced by Beyoncé Knowles-Carter, left, and Simba, voiced by Donald Glover in a scene from The Lion King. (Disney/The Associated Press)

Every week, the q screen panel convenes to look at the biggest stories happening in the worlds of film and television. This week, host Tom Power is joined by arts journalist Tina Hassannia and TIFF programmer Kiva Reardon to compare The Lion King to the much talked-about trailer for Cats, which has the internet reacting in horror.

Both films are mega-budget CGI remakes of musicals about cats, with big ensemble casts — so why are we laughing at Cats, but taking The Lion King seriously? The q screen panel breaks it down.

Watch the official trailer for Cats below.

— Produced by ​Frank Palmer

Miss an episode of CBC q? Download our podcast.