Product Info

Studio

Warner Bros. Pictures Animation

Director

Alessandro Carloni, Erica Rivinoja

Genre

Adventure, Animation, Family

Rated

PG

Theatrical Release Date (NA)

Nov 6, 2026

Film Length

1hr 47min

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Home » The Cat in the Cat (Review)

The Cat in the Hat is a computer-generated (CG) animated adaptation film of Dr. Seuss’s 1957 children’s book The Cat in the Hat. It’s a fun ride with imaginary moments that make you feel like a kid again.

He’s a Cat with a Hat

It’s the first CG animated film since the 2003 live-action version starring Mike Myers, and it’s miles better. With previous Dr. Seuss adaptations like The Grinch (2018), The Lorax (2012), and Horton Hears a Who! (2008), they each did well financially, and I still hear kids still talk about The Lorax to this day. So why not take another shot with The Cat and the Cat in a new, CG-animated film? While Blue Sky Studios and Illumination Entertainment made these previous animated films, Warner Bros. takes on the task for this new version of the well-known feline.

Like the previous films, the original children’s book doesn’t carry enough material to make it a full-length movie. After watching the film, I believe that Warner Bros. Pictures Animation did an impressive job of creating new material to make this Cat in the Hat film entertaining.

Originally walking into this film, I figured it would focus the story on the real world, where the Cat in the Hat is out of control and the kids try to keep him under control to prevent them from being evicted from their new home. Instead, the film takes the adventures in different worlds inside a set of moving boxes. It sounds weird at first, but the way the film is scripted, it feels like you are going through various imaginary worlds. If you remember watching those imaginary worlds Andy and Boonie made in the Toy Story films, it’s a similar feeling you’ll experience in The Cat in the Hat, such as the toys being alive and recognizing the children. I’m glad that I was wrong about the story’s direction, which initially seemed to try too hard to adapt to the original book and resemble the 2003 live-action film. There are more plot points and themes explored in this version of The Cat in the Hat. Exploring, imagination, and understanding your emotions.

While exploring, the film dives into real-life situations where the Cat in the Hat, voiced by Bill Harder (Inside Out, Trainwreck), is trying to cheer up Gabby, voiced by Xochitl Gomez (Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, The Baby-Sitters Club), and Sebastian, voiced by Tiago Martinez (Michael, The Wild Robot), a pair of siblings struggling with their move to a new town, a new home, and a new school. We’re also introduced to the Institute for the Institution of Imagination and Inspiration (I.I.I.I.), where the Cat in the Hat works and is trying to save his job after constantly creating damage, despite delivering satisfied clients of delighted children. Then throw in a vicious-looking “something” coming after them that adds some thrill to their adventure. The film goes into rollercoaster moments where it slowly builds up and delivers energetic moments, but there are areas where it takes a little longer to build that could have been shortened. With the film under the two-hour mark, a little shorter to tighten scenes up wouldn’t disrupt the overall experience.

One of the pieces the film delivers is keeping up with the laughter from beginning to end, as it does a great job delivering so many off-the-wall moments. For example, watching the fish, voiced by Matt Berry (A Minecraft Movie, Toast of London), who carries an accident that works really well for this goldfish, slowly swimming towards the “ring of doom,” will have you rolling with laughter for how long the film decided to keep this scene going. Other times it’s the Cat in the Hat making one-liners that disrupt the scene in a comical way or singing his own theme song. While I won’t list every moment, there’s enough that makes kids and parents laugh.

Overall, it’s a purrtastic, entertaining film for families to enjoy. It’s a film worth watching over and over again.

Wearing those Stripes

The animated film uses two different styles that are used to distinguish between the I.I.I.I. and the real world. While it may look vastly close, there are more fuzzy-like textures on the characters and the world in I.I.I.I., which is mostly vibrant. In the real world, the film stays away from that texture to look more realistic. However, this adjusted style makes the overall appearance feel flatter and could have used more volume or textures to add more depth to its overall design. With so much happening, you’ll find yourself focusing more on the characters and the quirky dialogues from The Cat in the Hat, as well as the imaginative objects that come to life.

The music is upbeat, fun, and adds energy and emotional pieces to the scenes. The Cat in the Hat theme is catchy and uses various moments throughout the film; thanks to that I find myself humming it afterwards. There’s also a recorded piece of score from the USC Trojan Marching Band used in a scene that helps bring the realistic feeling of a marching band playing as you watch a variety of instruments play down the street.

The Final Hat Trick

The Cat in the Hat is a purrtastic animated adventure filled with imaginative worlds, hilarious antics, and a catchy soundtrack that brings out the kid in everyone. Expanding on the original story with plenty of creative surprises, it’s a whisker-worthy family film that’s worth watching again and again. Add this to the already stacked list of animations this year.

An early screening was provided by the publisher for this review. The Cat in the Hat arrives in theaters on November 6, 2026. Fans can visit the film’s official website for more information.