In 1957, Theodore Geisel, better known as Dr. Seuss, wrote and illustrated the now beloved children’s book The Cat in the Hat. It was an instant commercial and critical success, selling over a million copies in its first three years.
In 1971, CBS first aired the animated The Cat in the Hat special. It was well-received and paved the way for other Dr. Seuss television cartoons, but it fell short of achieving the iconic holiday classic status of Dr. Seuss’s How the Grinch Stole Christmas.
And now in 2026, Warner Bros. Pictures is releasing a feature-length animated The Cat in the Hat. The film begins with the titular character (voiced by Bill Hader) cheering up a couple of bored and depressed kids but leaving a big mess behind for the authorities to clean up, including five giraffes on the loose for the police and firemen to round up.
Back at the Institute for the Institution of Imagination and Inspiration LLC (IIII) where the magical Cat receives his assignments to cheer up kids (think Monsters Inc. but for fun instead of screams), the tall furball is in major trouble with his boss. Although he’s the best at turning children’s frowns upside down, he gets far too high “mess-o-meter” scores. (Those giraffes are just one example.) He also has a reputation for wrecking homes. So, the boss gives him one final assignment to make kids happy without all the damage. If he fails, he’ll lose his job and his magical hat.
The mischief-loving feline faces his toughest job yet as he’s tasked with entertaining and cheering up Gabby (voiced by Xochitl Gomez) and her little brother, Sebastian (voiced by Tiago Martinez), who just moved to a new town with their mom and are feeling homesick. Unfortunately for the well-meaning Cat in the Hat, he’s not welcomed with open arms. Gabby even douses him in pepper spray. However, when Gabby learns about the Cat’s Go-Backer time travel device, she hopes to use it to go back in time and stop the move from happening.
The problem is when she tries to take it from the Cat, it falls into one of the three moving boxes but none of them know which one. And thanks to the Cat’s magic, the boxes have changed into wonderous universes. The Cat in the Hat makes a bargain with Gabby and Sebastian that if they help him find it, he will use it to get them back home. So, the three new friends and their fish climb set off on a flying couch to search for the Go-Backer.
Colorful, chaotic, and cute, The Cat in the Hat is a zany, outlandish adventure for kids of all ages. The tone of the movie has more in common with Monster’s Inc and the Looney Tunes cartoons than the original Dr. Seuss stories.
Bill Hader’s performance as the classic magical cat raises the film to an even higher level of enjoyment. Hader’s Cat in the Hat is by far the most likeable and loveable version of all. Hader’s Cat is still mischievous and has no regard for rules, but he’s a much more warm-hearted and fun-loving soul who gets the greatest joy out of helping children use their imaginations to go on wild adventures. It’s impossible to not just like but to root for him as well.
The animation is visually stunning and is at its best when Cat and his new friends are traveling through the magical boxes where even the simplest things, like old paperwork and forgotten toys, come alive. The film also has solid messages for kids about the importance of family, what a home really is, and being a true friend.
The Cat in the Hat is a fun, magical adventure that brings back to the screen the spirit of Dr. Seuss and the wonder of imagination.
GRADE: B
Rating: PG for rude humor, mild language, action, and some peril
Runtime: 1 hour 47 minutes
Release Date: November 6, 2026
Directed By: Alessandro Carloni and Erica Rivinoja