Steven Prusakowski
If you’re a kid now or were one before
You’ve heard of the mischievous Cat, that knocks on your door
His tales of hullabaloo have been told for decades, it’s true
All with the help of Thing One and Thing Two!
Now after last packing his bags and leaving town, The Cat in the Hat is coming back to the big screen in a vibrant new animated feature, with the help of the Bill Hader, lending his voice and comedic instincts to the iconic cat. Warner Bros. Pictures Animation’s feature film marks the third on-screen iteration of the character, following Mike Myers’ live-action portrayal in 2003 and Martin Short’s PBS animated series in 2010-2013 series. “The Cat in the Hat is a completely original take on a character that I think a lot of people have a connection to,” says Bill Damaschke, Warner Bros. Pictures Animation President.
This reimagined adventure expands beyond the original Dr. Seuss book, transforming The Cat into a whimsical “agent of chaos” with a surprising purpose. Directors Erica Rivinoja and Alessandro Carloni, who have collaborated with Hader for over 20 years, crafted a story that retains the heart of Seuss’s classic while introducing a modern, cinematic twist. “We really tried to bring in what people love about the original book, which is a cat shows up, everybody goes crazy and has fun,” Rivinoja explains, capturing the essence of the Cat’s appeal.
The film which introduces a multiverse of Seussian worlds, releases on February 27, 2026. During a top secret press screening of the trailer, Damaschke emphasized the film’s unique style, “No one look, no one style, different types of stories, different types of characters.” This approach allows the film to move between various visual universes, blending 3D animation with a 2D-inspired Seussian style. Carloni expanded, “We created entirely different looks of picture, entirely different aesthetics, and entirely different animation styles.”
Hader, who chased the role after playing the Cat on Saturday Night Live, brings his comedic flair to a character he has loved for decades. “Like everybody, I remember reading that book as a kid, and then reading it to my kids, and then, I’ve worked with these guys before on different projects, and I’ve known them forever, so the combination of these two and the chance to play such an iconic character was, I was like, yes,” Hader said. “The script was so insanely funny.”
The stellar cast also include Quinta Brunson, Matt Berry, Paula Pell, Bowen Yang, and Xochitl Gomez, adding to the comedic chaos. Rivinoja praised the dynamic between Hader and Brunson, “Getting to see Bill and Quinta in the room together was just like, oh, comedy icons together.”
The film strikes a perfect balance between the classic tale and brand new, keeping the spirit and style of Dr. Seuss alive with Thing One and Thing Two. The Cat’s chaotic sidekicks, return but this time with multiple new companions. “There’s many, many (Things) that come up,” Rivinoja teases, noting the Things expanded presence. One thing for sure, they will stir up trouble she shared, “They are not well-behaved, I will say. They are consistent with the things that you meet in the book
With heaps of wild fun, this is no trick, it’s no scam,
So grab a big chair, munch green eggs and ham, (oops wrong story)
The trailer’s a blast, full of silly to-do,
So watch the funny Bill Hader and a fart joke or two!
The Cat in the Hat releases on February 27, 2026.
Comments
Loading…