'The Cat in the Hat' Sequel Reportedly Depends on One Thing

Dr. Seuss’s most famous troublemaker has taken a long road to the animated big screen. ‘The Cat in the Hat‘ lands in theaters on Friday, November 6, as the first feature from the newly created Warner Bros. Pictures Animation label, with Bill Hader voicing the title feline.

The journey has not been smooth. Warner Bros. picked up the rights in January 2018, and the release date shifted several times, moving from March to February 27 before settling on November. Alessandro Carloni and Erica Rivinoja wrote and directed the film, which expands the original book into a much bigger adventure.

According to an exclusive from TheWrap, a follow-up is not guaranteed. The outlet was told that if the first film becomes a hit, a sequel would be the third film in a larger collaboration between the studio and Dr. Seuss Enterprises.

Nothing has been confirmed, and no sequel has been announced. The only other title named in that partnership is ‘Oh, the Places You’ll Go!’, which is set for March 17, 2028 and will be animated by Industrial Light & Magic. Jon M. Chu is attached to direct that one, which would make the Cat’s possible return the next chapter in a growing Seuss slate.

This version of the Cat does not simply turn up to cause mischief. He works as an agent of the Institute for the Institution of Imagination and Inspiration, LLC, shortened to the I.I.I.I., and he is given his toughest assignment yet. The job is to cheer up 2 siblings, Gabby and Sebastian, who are struggling to adjust to life in a new town.

The film is billed as a last chance for the Cat to prove himself, or risk losing his magical hat. Xochitl Gomez voices Gabby and Tiago Martinez voices Sebastian, while the supporting cast includes Matt Berry, Quinta Brunson, Giancarlo Esposito, America Ferrera, Bowen Yang, Paula Pell and Tituss Burgess.

The numbers will decide a lot. Variety reported that the film is targeting between $20 million and $25 million from roughly 4,000 theaters across North America, while Deadline’s preview put the figure at around $20 million. That sits well below the $38.3 million the 2003 live-action version made in its opening weekend.

That earlier film, starring Mike Myers, went on to gross about $134 million worldwide on a $109 million budget. It was widely criticized, and a planned follow-up based on ‘The Cat in the Hat Comes Back’ never happened after Dr. Seuss’s widow, Audrey Geisel, prohibited further live-action adaptations of her husband’s works.

The new film also faces competition. ‘Godzilla Minus Zero’ opens the same weekend and is projected by some outlets to take the top spot, which adds to the pressure on the opening numbers.

New trailer for ‘The Cat In The Hat’, in theaters on November 6th. The trailer features Hilary Duff’s new song “CATastrophe.” https://t.co/Vk0fmjOf9y
— Cartoon History (@Cartoonhistory2) October 4, 2026

Early reviews have been mixed. Some critics praised Hader’s performance, while others felt the looser adaptation drifted away from the spirit of the book. Deadline’s review was warmly positive, calling the film a delightful and long-overdue animated debut that adults may appreciate as much as kids.

That divide matters, because a family film can still find its audience through word of mouth. The 2003 version still opened to $38.3 million despite poor reviews, so critical scores do not always decide a Seuss film’s fate.

Warner Bros. has pitched the movie as the start of a shared Dr. Seuss animated universe, and the studio has more titles waiting behind it. A new Looney Tunes short called ‘Daffy Season’, billed as the first theatrical Looney Tunes short in more than a decade, is attached to the film.

The label’s upcoming slate includes the rock musical ‘Bad Fairies’ on May 21, 2027, followed by ‘Margie Claus’ in November 2027 and a ‘Hello Kitty’ feature in 2028. For a division still finding its footing, the Cat has to deliver both a hit and a reason to keep the Seuss collaboration going.