If you were thinking that what the world needs now is the Cat in the Hat back on the big screen, then we have some fantastic news for you. Reportedly, planning has begun to develop a trio of movies based on some of the famous children’s book author Dr. Seuss' most famous titles. The news comes as part of an expansive deal with Warner Animation Group with plans to establish a cinematic “Seuss universe.” Along withThe Cat in the Hat animated movie, there are also other animate projects in the works based onThing One and Thing TwoandOh, the Places You’ll Go!.
“Seuss builds worlds,” Allison Abbate, executive vice president of Warner Animation Group, told Vanity Fair. “There are so many questions that he posits, which is why we can read and reread those stories. It has been exciting for us to think about it as world building and not just a single story.”
Dr. SeussEnterprises president Susan Brandt also spoke about the deal, which comes with plans to produce an ongoing stream of animated projects based on Dr. Seuss books for a long time to come.
“For the first time we’re not just doing one film for one book. We’re going to franchise-buildbeyond the initial story of these booksand find out what happens next,” Brandt stated. “I call it stretching the fabric. How far can it go, to go a little bit deeper with our characters.”
The first project to be developed as a part of the deal will be a new take onThe Cat in the Hat. Of course, this will have no relation to the previous live-action movie adaptation with Mike Myers in the lead role. Set for a 2024 release, this version ofThe Cat in the Hatwill be animated, and it now has two directors attached.South Park writer Erica Rivinojaand Disney story artist Art Hernandez to helm the upcoming movie.
Next in line will be aThing One and Thing Twomovie, planned for a 2026 release. The titular characters will first be introduced inThe Cat in the Hatbefore starring in their own adventure. Meanwhile, the third movie, based onOh, the Places You’ll Go!, is described as more of a standalone story. That project is planning a 2027 theatrical release.
While crossovers will apparently happen on occasion, the “Seuss-iverse” will mostly be linked by style and theme. This means that we shouldn’t expect for the Cat in the Hat to meet the boy inOh, the Places You’ll Go!. Still, the goal is for these separate movies to still capture that same Dr. Seuss feel.
“If we properly translate Ted’s characters and his messaging, each one creates a different story, but it’s still Seuss DNA. That’s what we’re going to go attempt to do,” Brandt said.
In recent years, Universal Pictures released computer-animated movies based onThe LoraxandThe Grinch. An animated series based onGreen Eggs and Hamis also streaming on Netflix. It’s evident that the creators created by the iconic author are not going anywhere for a long, long time. This news comes to us fromVariety Fair.
