When many of us think of iconic literary characters from our youth, legends like Corduroy, Madeline, Harold, Max, Eloise, and Curious George come to mind. Still, few remain as influential across generations as Cat from Dr. Seuss‘s 1957 children’s book The Cat in the Hat. With his lanky frame, barber shop pole striped hat, red bowtie, and white gloves, Cat is a feline of simple taste but remains as unpredictable as a kitten with a laser pointer. Today, Warner Bros. Animation brings Dr. Seuss’s The Cat in the Hat back for a bold new adaptation of his zany antics with a more spirited and colorful trailer than a school of fish.
Here’s the official synopsis for The Cat in the Hat, courtesy of Warner Bros. Animation:
“In the wonderfully whimsical tradition of Dr. Seuss, The Cat in the Hat comes to the big screen in his animated theatrical feature film debut, an all-new, epic adventure with an edge, where mischief, magic and mayhem reign supreme. Doing what he does best, the Cat—voiced by Bill Hader—spreads joy to kids in his hilarious, signature and singularly irreverent way, transporting them and audiences on a fantastical journey through a world they’ve never seen before.
In the film, our hero takes 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!”
Alessandro Carloni and Erica Rivinoja direct The Cat in the Hat from a screenplay they wrote based on Dr. Seuss’s classic story. In the twisted tale, a clever cat brings chaos and mischief to a pair of siblings struggling with their move to a new town. Bill Hader lends his voice to Cat, while Matt Berry, Quinta Brunson, Bowen Yang, Xochitl Gomez, Paula Pell, and Tiago Martinez complete the primary cast.
The Cat in the Hat trailer presents Dr. Seuss’s imaginative tale like never before. In addition to telling the classic story, the film gives us a peek behind the curtain into Seuss’s complex world, teeming with characters like Bug in a Mug, Pig in a Wig, Giraffe with a Carafe, and more. The trailer presents Cat as an agent of chaos, bringing disorder and pandemonium everywhere he goes. Today’s footage highlights the film’s exquisite color palette, cel-shaded look, and cast of kooky characters, including the Minion-like Things, blue-haired creatures of mischief sure to please young viewers.
WB’s The Cat in the Hat trailer is the first of many adaptations planned for Dr. Seuss’s unpredictable literary world, including a globetrotting musical version of Oh, the Places You’ll Go! Additionally, if WB plays its cards right, based on the content of today’s trailer, I could easily see a Things spin-off movie in the studio’s future. That’s the magic of Dr. Seuss’s body of work. You can go anywhere, do anything, and meet fascinating creatures along the way who are more than happy to facilitate the madness. Let the insanity begin anew!
