Spreading Joy: New CAT IN THE HAT Movie Promise ‘Original Take’ on Beloved Character

Published: July 2, 2025

pexels-pixabay-33129 — Photo from Pixabay

By India McCarty

Warner Bros. president Bill Damaschke says the upcoming THE CAT IN THE HAT movie is the “perfect project” to launch the studios’ next chapter of animation.

“Animation’s always been like a cornerstone of Warner Bros., but in this next chapter called Warner Bros. Pictures Animation, we’re really doubling down on that commitment to original stories, as well as really innovative takes on some of our beloved characters and worlds,” Damaschke said during a press conference and preview of THE CAT IN THE HAT’s trailer.

He called the movie “the perfect project” for this new phase of Warner Bros. Animation.

“It’s a completely original take on a character that I think a lot of people have a connection to, but [they way it’s] handled and brought to life by our filmmakers and by the very singular actor who plays the cat, it just comes out in a way that’s bigger, better, more amazing, and more whimsical than you could ever imagine,” Damaschke explained.

At #CinemaCon, Bill Hader shows off his animated #CatInTheHat movie, which WB Animation head Bill Damaschke says the film will launch a “Seussiverse.”

A work-in-progress trailer is shown. In the footage, a zebra breaks through the screen and a scene of chaos erupts, with other… pic.twitter.com/6vOaRubSM4

— The Hollywood Reporter (@THR) April 2, 2025

THE CAT IN THE HAT was officially announced in 2018, with Susan Brandt, president of Dr. Seuss Enterprises, sharing, “For generations, Dr. Seuss has entertained and delighted children and adults alike with his whimsical tales. Our partnership with Warner Animation Group continues those efforts by reimagining the beloved characters and stories for theater-going audiences, while keeping the integrity of Dr. Seuss’s vision intact.”

The titular role will be played by former SNL star Bill Hader, who said he was excited to get the chance to “play such an iconic character.”

According to a press release, the movie sees the Cat, who “spreads joy to kids” take on “his toughest assignment yet for the I.I.I.I. (Institute for the Institution of Imagination and Inspiration, LLC): to cheer Gabby and Sebastian, a pair of siblings struggling with their move to a new town. Known for taking things too far, this could be this agent of chaos’s last chance to prove himself…or lose his magical hat!”

Other cast members include Xochitl Gomez, Matt Berry, Quinta Brunson, Paula Pell, Tiago Martinez, Giancarlo Esposito, America Ferrera, Bowen Yang and Tituss Burgess.

Erica Rivinoja, who co-wrote and co-directed THE CAT IN THE HAT, said she and co-writer and co-director Alessandro Carloni “really tried to bring in what people love about the original book, which is a cat shows up, everybody goes crazy and has fun.”

“We kind of used the book as more of a jumping point for us in the sense that the book became a question for us, which is, is this cat really just out there to have a good time for himself and making a mess, or is there more to it?” Carloni said. “We look at the book and realize that at the end of the book, the kid seems to be a little more confident with himself.”

He joked, “Could it be that the cat is actually the greatest child psychologist?,” adding, “And so we basically used the book as our starting point, that’s how our movie starts, and then our movie becomes an expansion on that adventure.”

In an interview with Variety, Rivinoja said the movie’s crew really leaned into the “wackiness” of Dr. Suess’ work.

Production designer Aidan Sugano agreed, saying, “[This character] has been a part of so many childhoods, so we had to do it justice. It had to be a celebration of Seuss. We try to portray this very cerebral idea of creating visceral landscapes of personality. This film is completely about connection.”

The movie will release in theaters across North America on Feb. 27, 2026. Fans of Dr. Suess’ work can’t wait to see this new take on the beloved classic tale of THE CAT IN THE HAT!

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