FOXSYLVANIA

Originally intended for an earlier 2026 release, a new animated version of the Dr. Seuss classic, The Cat in the Hat is now projected to open in November of 2026 to better capitalize on the Christmas trade. It should be better received than the 2003 live action version of the story that featured Mike Myers…

Sometimes referred to as “The Cat who Fell Flat,” the 2003 movie was I think a better film than it’s often credited to be, although it’s a bit crass, and the humor is rather “out there.” A sequel was originally intended, but the widow of Dr. Seuss so disliked the film that she forbid live action films of her husband’s work to ever again be made. The successful How the Grinch Stole Christmas (2000) predated The Cat, and was a winner with Jim Carrey.

Believe it or not, the title role in The Cat in the Hat live action movie was originally intended for Tim Allen, but he had a conflict so the part went to Myers, who was a pretty big box office draw having done the Shrek films and the Austin Powers series. It’s really hard for me to imagine Tim Allen as the character despite his many talents, and I think that Myers brought the required manic energy to the part. While the makeup was a bit creepy, he did look more like a cat than the strange hybrid “cats” of the movie musical version of Cats. The 2003 live-action film adaptation faced heavy backlash for featuring adult-oriented humor that alienated family audiences with adult double entendres and crude potty humor, and some have gone so far as to suggest that the Cat’s visual design and performative tricks are rooted in 19th-century blackface minstrelsy…but I think that this is an extension too far…

I still love The Cat in all of his incarnations, anyways, who in this 2026 film appears appropriately enough to be on a reclamation proving mission for himself, risking losing his “stripes” (iconic hat) if he fails. The Cat is my fave Dr. Sseus character, before and after The Grinch achieved massive popularity. This Cat is modern, in touch, and slick, without any apparent adult content; you can be hip, appealing, and funny without being dirty! He’s resilient, too, getting maced in the eyes upon his initial contact by the kids he’s trying to help. – – Welcome to 2026, Cat! If the Cat can find redemption, dare we hope that Pepe Le Pew is not far behind?!

This animation is friendly to the Cat in the Hat character, which was originally translated from the classic 1957 children’s book to an animated TV special in 1971. The upcoming 2026 film comes from Warner Bros. Pictures, so it has a good pedigree. Maybe we’ll have a Thing or Two to say about it, with the Things in this film revealed to be more than a duo…the talking fish is there, too…