The Cat in the Hat: The Cat Completely Transforms Waffles' World By Giving Him The Magical Ability To Speak Out Loud

The Cat in the Hat Synopsis:

The Cat in the Hat (Bill Hader) is a chaotic operative for the I.I.I.I. (the Institute for the Institution of Imagination and Inspiration, LLC) who gets one final chance to save his career: cheering up two siblings, Gabby (Xochitl Gomez) and Sebastian (Tiago Martinez), who are miserable after moving to a new town. Joined by the children's newly talking pet fish, Waffles (Matt Berry), the Cat unleashes his signature brand of Seussian magic to transform their world and take them on a fantastical journey. However, when his chaotic mischief begins to threaten reality itself, the Cat must learn to channel his imagination to help the siblings adapt to their new life before time runs out.

Genre: Animation, Adventure, Family

Release Date: In theaters November 6th, 2026

The Cat in the Hat Fun Facts: The Cat Completely Transforms Waffles' World By Giving Him The Magical Ability To Speak Out Loud

Bill Hader's SNL Connection:
Bill Hader lends his voice to the Cat in the Hat, but this isn't his first time stepping into the iconic red-and-white top hat. Back in 2014, he famously played a hilarious live-action version of the mischievous Dr. Seuss character during a Saturday Night Live sketch.

Matt Berry Voices the Fish:
In this updated version of The Cat in the Hat, the family's iconic pet fish gets a fresh new name, Waffles, and is voiced by fan-favorite actor Matt Berry, best known for his hilarious role in What We Do in the Shadows. Traditionally, the fish acts as the serious, rule-following voice of reason who constantly worries about the chaos unfolding around him. However, the Cat completely transforms Waffles' world by giving him the magical ability to speak out loud and break free from his bowl, allowing him to move around and join in on the everyday adventures.

A New Spin on the Siblings:
The new animated movie updates the classic Dr. Seuss setup with two brand-new main characters. In the original story, the siblings were Sally and an unnamed narrator who was later named Conrad in the 2003 live-action film starring Mike Myers. This time around, the kids are named Gabby, voiced by Marvel star Xochitl Gomez (Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness), and her brother Sebastian, voiced by Tiago Martinez.

A 14-Year Development Journey:
Hollywood's journey to bring a fully computer-animated The Cat in the Hat to the big screen has been over a decade in the making. The project was originally launched back in 2012 by Universal Pictures and Illumination, fresh off the box-office success of their 3D animated Dr. Seuss film The Lorax.

However, the adaptation remained stagnant due to lack of progress in development for years until Warner Bros. acquired the movie rights in 2018 under its Warner Animation Group division. Along the way, the film went through multiple concept revisions and director changes before finding its creative team in co-directors Alessandro Carloni and Erica Rivinoja. Both bring major animation power to the table; Carloni previously co-directed Kung Fu Panda 3, while Rivinoja brings a wealth of comedic animation experience as a writer on hit franchises like Trolls and The Addams Family.

Animation by DNEG:
While Alessandro Carloni and Erica Rivinoja are pulling double duty as both the writers and directors of the film, they aren't bringing the world to life alone. The visual style and computer-generated (CGI) animation are being brought to the screen by DNEG Animation, a powerhouse creative studio known for its high-caliber work across feature films.

DNEG Animation has previously earned acclaim for crafting visually distinct animated hits, including the Oscar-nominated adventure Nimona and the lively feature The Garfield Movie. Their team handles everything from initial visual development and character design to the intricate digital rendering, ensuring The Cat in the Hat colorful world feels vibrant, fluid, and full of life.

Source: youtube, wikipedia