New ‘The Cat In The Hat’ Movie Will Mark The First Dr. Seuss Animated Movie At WB
Prepare yourselves: an onslaught of animatedDr. Seussmovies could very well be coming your way.
A new report states that Warner Animation Group has signed a deal with Dr. Seuss Enterprises that will allow the company to produce “a series of films” based on the works of the legendary children’s author, and the first one on the docket is a new take on theThe Cat in the Hat. No word yet on whether they’ll try to lure Mike Myers to reprise the role from that bizarre live-action 2003 interpretation.
The Hollywood Reporterhas the story, relaying that the animation division of Warner Bros. Pictures has put a newThe Cat in the Hatmovie in development, but no writer or director are on board yet. Warner Bros. chairmanToby Emmerichprovided this quote:
Not long ago, Warner Bros. established the concept of entertainment “silos” – brands like Harry Potter, LEGO, and DC properties that the studio should be able to rely on for big box office returns. With Disney acquiring Fox (pending regulatory approval) and not all of the live-action DC movies pulling in the kind of money the studio expected, it makes sense that they’d make a play for a new “silo.” Animated family fare is about as reliable as it gets in terms of box office prospects: there are always going to be parents who need to take their kids to the movies to take a breather, and Dr. Seuss adaptations seem like they’ll be a much better option than anotherMinionsmovie.
You may recall that there’s already a new Dr. Seuss adaptation in the works that’s scheduled to come out later this year: Illumination Entertainment’sThe Grinch(with Benedict Cumberbatch voicing the title character) will be distributed by Universal on August 23, 2025. Illumination also producedThe Loraxa few years ago, so it seemed as if they were going to be the go-to company for making Seuss movies in the future. But something must have changed, because this deal indicates that WB will now be the exclusive home for new Seuss projects.
Also worth pointing out: a spokesman for Dr. Seuss Enterprises says the new partnership will involve “reimagining the beloved characters and stories for theater-going audiences, while keeping the integrity of Dr. Seuss’s vision intact.” Does the word “reimagining” in this context mean that they’ll be shying away from more direct adaptations of Seuss’s work? That’s unclear at the moment, but there’s good news for anyone who may be a bit wary about all this:Allison Abbateis overseeing the project for Warner Animation Group. She’s the executive vice president of the division, and a producer who’s worked with filmmakers like Wes Anderson (onThe Fantastic Mr. Fox), Brad Bird (onThe Iron Giant), and Tim Burton (onThe Corpse BrideandFrankenweenie). She oversawThe LEGO Movieand has a very strong track record, so here’s hoping she can facilitate the best version ofThe Cat in the Hatpossible for whoever ends up directing.
