Last week, news broke that Bill Hader would voice the lead in Warner Bros. new fully animated movie The Cat in the Hat, based on Dr. Seuss’ 1957 classic children’s book. Today, the studio confirmed that the film will hit theaters in March 2026, with Hader joined by current SNL player Bowen Yang and longtime SNL writer Paula Pell, as well as Quinta Brunson, Matt Berry, and Xochitl Gomez.
Hader is a seasoned voice actor whose talent has won him roles in Sausage Party, Toy Story 4, and Bob’s Burgers, so it’s easy to see, or rather, hear, why WB would turn to Hader for its new Cat in the Hat movie — but in this case, Warner Bros. execs also had a visual aid, though it’s up for debate whether it helped Hader’s case or hurt it.
It was a nearly decade ago (Oct. 2014) when Hader played The Cat in a live-action sketch on Saturday Night Live, in which he was joined by Cecily Strong as Linda, Taran Killam as her husband, Thing 2, aka Jonathing, and Pete Davidson and Aidy Bryant as their two kids.
It’s not such a bold claim to suggest that Hader already was the best live-action Cat in the Hat in recent memory, as Mike Myers’ 2003 version of the character is just 10 percent fresh on Rotten Tomatoes, with an audience score of 57 percent — still rotten.
Hader played The Cat in a rather ribald, mischievous manner — the character is trying to win back his ex, Linda, who suggests that he is the real father of her children —and his performance was well received by SNL fans, though it’s surely a far cry from where Warner Bros. Pictures Animation is trying to go with the character. Thankfully, this ancient “audition tape” didn’t come back to haunt him.
Expect Hader to deliver a very different — but still funny — turn in the Cat in the Hat movie, which Alessandro Carloni and Erica Rivinoja are writing and directing.
Daniela Mazzucato and Jared Stern will produce the film, while Hader will executive produce alongside Susan Brandt, the president/CEO of Dr. Seuss Enterprises.
