‘The Cat in the Hat’ Reviews Are In, and Critics Aren’t Sold on Warner Bros.’ Dr. Seuss Reboot
Dr. Seuss’ most famous troublemaker is returning to the big screen, this time in animated form. Warner Bros.’ ‘The Cat in the Hat’, with Bill Hader voicing the title character, opens in theaters on November 6, and it marks the first time the story has been made as an animated feature.
The project has had a long road to theaters. Warner Bros. acquired the rights in January 2018 in partnership with Dr. Seuss Enterprises, and the film moved through several release dates, including March and February slots, before landing in November.
Now that reviews are rolling in, the reception is looking lukewarm. According to Global Box Office, the film debuted with a 47 on Metacritic, which the site rates as mixed or average based on 11 critic reviews.
On Rotten Tomatoes, it holds a 45% score from 24 reviews, with 11 counted as fresh. Forbes noted earlier this week that critics were split down the middle, with 7 rotten and 6 fresh reviews before a Tomatometer score had been assigned.
THE CAT IN THE HAT is panned by critics and debuts with 47 on Metacritic, holding just 45% on Rotten Tomatoes (11 out of 24). It’s one of the worst received animated movies this decade and Warner Bros 9th bomb in a row. https://t.co/7xKPrNG6uZ
— Global Box Office (@GlobalBoxOffice) November 4, 2026
Several major outlets were unimpressed. Forbes’ roundup notes that TheWrap’s William Bibbiani described the film as the kind of movie a corporation makes to exploit an intellectual property, while The Hollywood Reporter’s Frank Scheck called it an improvement over the 2003 version but more taxing than enjoyable.
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
Variety’s Owen Gleiberman felt the film works too hard to turn the Cat into an ingratiating mascot. The Associated Press’ Mark Kennedy also gave it a negative review. The film has its supporters too. Deadline’s Pete Hammond called it a genuine treat for the whole family, while Fresh Fiction’s Courtney Howard compared it to a new generational ‘Mary Poppins’.
Erica Rivinoja and Alessandro Carloni directed the film and co-wrote the screenplay, with a story by Caroline Williams. The Cat is sent to cheer up 2 siblings, Gabby and Sebastian, who are struggling after a move to a new town.
America Ferrera & Xochitl Gomez tease that ‘THE CAT IN THE HAT’ features about 9 different art styles in its animation. “You get to really see it in moments where it’s the real world versus the realm of Dr. Seuss.” https://t.co/i6VBaPRNJt
— DiscussingFilm (@DiscussingFilm) November 3, 2026
Xochitl Gomez voices Gabby and Tiago Martinez plays Sebastian, while Matt Berry voices their talking pet fish, Waffles. The cast also includes Quinta Brunson, Giancarlo Esposito, America Ferrera, Bowen Yang, Paula Pell, and Tituss Burgess, and Lorne Balfe composed the score.
The stakes are high for the studio. The film is meant to launch a shared Dr. Seuss universe that includes a ‘Thing One and Thing Two’ spin-off and an adaptation of ‘Oh, the Places You’ll Go!’, scheduled for March 2028.
Box office projections point to a $25 million to $35 million opening weekend, according to Box Office Theory, as cited by /Film. The outlet called that slightly low for an animated family film and noted that ‘Godzilla Minus Zero’ opens the same weekend with a similar projection.
Bill Hader says the humor in ‘THE CAT IN THE HAT’ appeals to both kids and adults. “You don’t see a difference between, ‘This is for kids, and this is for adults.’ Funny is funny. Emotions are emotions. That seems to be where sometimes things trip up.” https://t.co/8Hj698CGK9
— DiscussingFilm (@DiscussingFilm) November 2, 2026
/Film also noted that Warner Bros. has had a difficult 2026 after a strong 2025, with titles like ‘The Bride!’ and ‘Supergirl’ among its recent disappointments. A solid family hit could help turn that around.
Mixed reviews don’t always decide the fate of a family film. With no other major animated release scheduled until Disney’s ‘Hexed’ over Thanksgiving, ‘The Cat in the Hat’ could still draw audiences looking for a holiday-season outing. For comparison, the 2003 live-action version starring Mike Myers holds an 11% on Rotten Tomatoes, so even a divided response is a step up for the character on the big screen.
Will you watch the new animated The Cat in the Hat despite its mixed reviews?
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