THAT CAT IS A BAD ONE

What Did They Do to ‘The Cat in the Hat’?

Bring back the nightmare fuel that was the 2003 live-action film starring Mike Myers.

The Cat in the Hat is back, but not everyone is purring with delight.

Warner Bros. just dropped the first trailer for its new animated adaptation of Dr. Seuss’ beloved children’s book, featuring Bill Hader as the voice of the iconic mischief maker in the red-striped hat.

In this rendition, the cat is tasked by the Institute for the Institution of Imagination and Inspiration (I.I.I.I., LLC) with cheering up two siblings, Gabby (Xochitl Gomez) and Sebastian (Tiago Martinez), who are struggling to adjust to life in a new town.

There’s just one problem: the Cat’s antics have already led to a string of failed missions, and if he messes this one up, he might get the boot.

“I heard the Cat lost three giraffes in his last mission,” whispers an I.I.I.I. agent in the trailer, unaware the feline is eavesdropping.

“Actually, it was five,” the Cat replies, beaming with pride.

But the real drama isn’t in the trailer, it’s online.

While animation studio DNEG, known for the work on Nimona (2023), brought their signature 3D-meets-2D style to this project, the visual direction isn’t landing for everyone. Some viewers even think the animation looks artificial, comparing it to AI-generated content.

“ChatGPT, make a CGI Cat in the Hat movie,” one person joked on X.

Others were more blunt about their dislike of the animation style.

“My eyes. They bleed,” a user wrote after posting a screenshot from the trailer.

Beyond the visuals, the trailer’s cheerful tone has stirred debate. For many fans of the 2003 live-action film starring Mike Meyers, The Cat in the Hat isn’t supposed to be sweet; it’s meant to give kids nightmares, duh.

“If you’re not forcing Mike Myers into it via lawsuit and then making a bizarre all-time terrible film, then what’s even the point?” a Redditor joked.

Another person on X agreed with this sentiment, writing: “I don’t want an animated cat in the hat, I WANT THAT REAL LIFE 6ft B***H.”

While it seems like there are a lot of opinions being thrown around, it’s important to remember that regardless of animation style or its level of nightmare fuel, we should support cat representation in cinema—unless, of course, it’s 2019’s musical monstrosity, Cats, and then all bets are off.

Clare DonaldsonEditorial Intern

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