As A Street Cat Named Bob turns 10 this week, the true-life cat-and-busker story remains a fan favourite. The 2016 British biographical drama, directed by Roger Spottiswoode and written by Tim John and Maria Nation, is based on James Bowen’s book of the same name and The World According to Bob. Here are eight things you probably didn’t know.
1. Bob the Cat played himself
The film stars Luke Treadaway, Ruta Gedmintas, Joanne Froggatt, Anthony Head, and Bob the Cat as himself. That casting choice put the real street cat at the centre of his own story.
2. It pulls from two James Bowen books
The screenplay is based on the book of the same name and The World According to Bob by James Bowen. Roger Spottiswoode directed, while Tim John and Maria Nation wrote the script.
3. It was announced in August 2015
On 24 August 2015, it was announced that Roger Spottiswoode would direct the film, while Tim John scripted it. Adam Rolston would produce through his Shooting Script Films, and The Exchange sold the film’s international rights.
4. The shoot used real London locations
Principal photography began on 25 October 2015 in London, at Twickenham Film Studios and on location in Covent Garden. Filming wrapped on 6 December 2015, with the city where the true story unfolded as its backdrop.
5. The world premiere was a royal date
The world premiere of A Street Cat Named Bob took place at the Curzon Mayfair Cinema, London on 3 November 2016 and was attended by the Duchess of Cambridge.
6. It opened in the UK before the US
The film opened to the public in the UK on 4 November and in the US on 18 November. The general release came one day after the London premiere.
7. It earned nearly $18 million worldwide against an $8 million budget
A Street Cat Named Bob grossed $82,703 in the United States and Canada and $17,852,881 in other countries for a worldwide total of nearly $18 million, against a production budget of $8 million.
8. Critics called it unapologetically heartwarming
On Rotten Tomatoes, the film has an approval rating of 77% based on 65 reviews, with an average score of 5.9/10. The site’s critical consensus reads, “A Street Cat Named Bob uses a fact-based feelgood tale as the inspiration for an unapologetically heartwarming movie that should move all but the most cynical of viewers.” On Metacritic, the film has a score of 54 out of 100, based on 12 critics, indicating “mixed or average reviews.”
Which detail surprised you most? Tell us your favourite A Street Cat Named Bob fact.
Facts from Wikipedia: A Street Cat Named Bob (film), available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Film images from TMDB. This product uses the TMDB API but is not endorsed or certified by TMDB.