The Cat in the Hat (film)

The Cat in the Hat (also known as Dr. Seuss' The Cat in the Hat) is a 2003 American fantasy comedy film directed by Bo Welch in his directorial debut and written by Alec Berg, David Mandel and Jeff Schaffer. Loosely based on Dr. Seuss's 1957 book of the same name, it was the second and final live-action Dr. Seuss adaptation after How the Grinch Stole Christmas (2000). The film stars Mike Myers in the title role along with Alec Baldwin, Kelly Preston, Dakota Fanning, Spencer Breslin, Amy Hill and Sean Hayes in supporting roles, with the latter in a dual role.

Dr. Seuss’ The Cat in the Hat was released in theaters on November 21, 2003, in the United States by Universal Pictures and internationally by DreamWorks Pictures. The film was panned by critics and audiences, with criticism directed towards its innuendos, inappropriate jokes, script, lack of originality and characters, although David Newman’s musical score was generally praised. It was also a commercial failure grossing $133.9 million against a budget of $109 million, losing the studio $8 million.

After the film’s release, Seuss's widow, Audrey Geisel, decided not to allow further live-action adaptations of her husband's works. After this, a planned sequel, based on The Cat in the Hat Comes Back, was cancelled. All adaptations have since been produced using computer animation. Warner Bros. Pictures Animation is developing another adaptation, and is scheduled to be released in 2026.