Bill Hader to star as ‘The Cat in the Hat’ film

The cast, led by Bill Hader (Barry) as The Cat, includes Quinta Brunson (Abbott Elementary), Bowen Yang (SNL), Xochitl Gomez (Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness), Matt Berry (What We Do in The Shadows) and Paula Pell (Girls5eva).

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, doing what he does best—spreading joy to “happyless” kids. In the film, The Cat takes on his toughest assignment yet… to cheer a pair of siblings struggling with their move to a new town.

The film is being written and directed by Alessandro Carloni and Erica Rivinoja with Daniela Mazzucato and Jared Stern producing. Susan Brandt and Bill Hader will executive produce. DNEG Animation will be the animation studio partner.

Bill Damaschke, President of Warner Bros. Pictures Animation said:

We are overjoyed to partner with our friends at Dr. Seuss to take audiences of all ages on an adventure into the beloved world of The Cat in the Hat. With this incredible voice cast led by Bill Hader as the fun-loving, agent of chaos himself and our filmmakers Alessandro and Erica at the helm, we look forward to sharing this Seussian cinematic spectacle with audiences everywhere in 2026!

Susan Brandt, President and CEO of Dr. Seuss Enterprises, said:

We are excited to see such an exceptional group of talent join the effort to bring this iconic property to the screen as an animated feature. It’s been an amazing experience collaborating with the team from Warner Bros. Pictures Animation so far, as they truly understand what it takes to capture the magic of The Cat in the Hat and share his brand of imagination and joy with a new generation of Dr. Seuss fans.

The Cat in the Hat first captured the imaginations of young readers with its whimsical story and iconic red and white striped hat when it debuted in 1957. Close to 70 years later, the story is as relevant as ever and continues to inspire the pop culture lexicon.

The Cat in the Hat will be the first animated feature to debut as part of a slate of animated projects that Warner Bros. Pictures Animation and Dr. Seuss Enterprises are developing together that builds out an extensive Dr. Seuss animated universe. The collaboration merges the whimsical worlds of Dr. Seuss with some of the most creative and visionary Hollywood storytellers and artists.