There’s a brand-new Cat in the Hat in town with 2026’s animated movie The Cat in the Hat, and not only has this film just given this fan-favorite character another go on the big screen, but also, it’s teased that so much more could be coming. The Cat in the Hat as a broader story hasn’t had the easiest time. In fact, 2003’s The Cat in the Hat was heavily criticized, and it remains, unfortunately, an example of what not to do when bringing a beloved children’s story to life in live-action.
The new animated movie is a massive improvement, although reviews of The Cat in the Hat still suggest some issues, from a plot that is attempting to do a bit too much and ultimately becomes unwieldy, especially towards the end, to villains whose motivations make no sense and more. Currently, The Cat in the Hat’s Rotten Tomatoes score reflects similar sentiments, with the audience score not yet revealed but the critic score sitting at a bleak 46%. Yet, that only makes one blink-and-you-miss-it moment in the movie all the more interesting.
Specifically, while no sequels to The Cat in the Hat have been announced yet, and that possibility may very well still depend upon the reception of the movie (which isn’t looking great, based on current scores), one line from The Cat in the Hat has suggested that a sequel is already underway—or, at the very least, being seriously considered—and it could actually rival the biggest animated movie franchise of all time, if it’s done correctly.
The Cat In The Hat Just Introduced The Perfect Minions Competitor
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While the main narrative of The Cat in the Hat is focused on the titular Cat, along with siblings Gabby and Sebastian, the former of whom gets considerably more screen time, there are numerous characters in this movie, many of them a match for Dr. Seuss’s fantastical, whimsical style. That includes a group of creatures almost as iconic as the Cat in the Hat himself: the Things. Those loosely familiar with Dr. Seuss are probably aware of Thing 1 and Thing 2, but The Cat in the Hat introduces a whole group of Things, all with unique styles and personalities.
If that concept sounds vaguely familiar, that’s because it should; no doubt intentionally, this group of goofy, slap-stick humor-filled yet adorable little creatures feels like a direct competitor to the Minions. What’s more, The Cat in the Hat has directly teased the possibility of the Things returning in their own standalone movie, as, at one point, the Cat is trying to get them back in their box and tells them not to worry because they will get their own movie soon. Sure, that could just be played for a laugh, but it actually seems like a serious prospect.
And, notably, it’s one that could compete with the biggest franchise out there. After debuting in Despicable Me, and continuing to appear in those sequels, the Minions have managed to get their own run of movies, with the most recent, Minions & Monsters, hitting theaters just this year. When taking the entire franchise into account, including the Despicable Me movies and Minions movies, this is the highest-grossing animated movie franchise of all time, by a surprisingly wide margin. Now, the question just remains whether a Dr. Seuss franchise could really give the Minions a run for their money.
Could Dr. Seuss Be Building Its Own Cinematic Universe?
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The current reception of The Cat in the Hat sadly doesn’t seem to be laying the groundwork for a massive franchise the likes of which could compete with the formidable Minions. Yet, not all hope is lost. For one, audience scores haven’t really begun rolling in yet, and those could be a key determining factor, especially in the eyes of the studio. In fact, it feels more likely than not that the Things will be the standout for audiences, particularly young audiences, and that might mean green lighting a Things movie, at which point, this franchise has a real chance.
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There’s also, honestly, no good reason why there couldn’t be an enormously successful Dr. Seuss cinematic universe if that’s what the powers that be wanted to do. These characters and stories have obviously had staying power, and there is so much opportunity to bridge the characters and stories together in a way that actually builds out a franchise. Now, it’s just a waiting game to see whether audiences like The Cat in the Hat and, if so, whether that’s enough to get the ball fully rolling with a Things movie.
The Cat in the Hat
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