The Cat in the Hat Lands in Cinemas on November 6
The Cat in the Hat reaches cinemas and IMAX screens across North America on November 6, 2026. It is the first full-length animated feature from Warner Bros. Pictures Animation, and the first animated movie to star the Cat himself. The film opens internationally from November 4.
The Cat is voiced by Bill Hader. He is joined by Matt Berry, Quinta Brunson, Xochitl Gomez, Giancarlo Esposito and America Ferrera, with Tituss Burgess, Bowen Yang, Paula Pell and Tiago Martinez also in the cast. Warner Bros. Pictures will distribute the film worldwide.
The story follows Gabby and Sebastian, siblings finding their feet after a move to a new town. The Cat arrives with an assignment from the I.I.I.I., the Institute for the Institution of Imagination and Inspiration, LLC. The official site describes it as an all-new, epic adventure.
The film is written and directed by Erica Rivinoja and Alessandro Carloni, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Daniela Mazzucato and Jared Stern produce, Dan Molina edits, and Lorne Balfe composes the music. Caroline Williams wrote the screen story. Ryan Gaffney is head of story and Amos Sussigan is art director. The executive producers include Bill Hader, Susan Brandt, Bill Damaschke, Kelly Marcel, Steve Zissis, Tim Story and Alex Timbers.
The film's origins go back to 1957, when Theodor Seuss Geisel published the book. The Hollywood Reporter reports that Dr. Seuss Enterprises picked Warner Bros. Pictures Animation to launch the Cat's animated outing as part of a three-film deal. Warner Animation Group and Dr. Seuss Enterprises say the film will kick off a wider run of new Dr. Seuss movies. Susan Brandt is president and CEO of Dr. Seuss Enterprises.
Audiences at a festival got an early look. The filmmaking team presented footage at SCAD AnimationFest's 10th anniversary in late September, held at the SCAD campus in Atlanta.
For a studio, the date matters. A November opening puts the film into the busy stretch before the holidays, when families look for something to see together. For Dr. Seuss fans, the bigger news is that the Cat's first feature is now a set date rather than a plan. The next step is the cinema run itself, which begins on November 6 in North America.
