Hollywood’s history is paved with misinterpretations, especially when it comes to replicating success. Just look at the runaway hit Barbie. While many celebrated its clever writing, direction by Greta Gerwig, and stellar performances from Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling, the big studios seemed to focus solely on the fact that it was based on a toy, concluding audiences were clamoring for more toy-based movies. This logic echoes back to the early 2000s and the live-action Dr. Seuss adaptations, a cinematic universe that crumbled almost as quickly as it began, largely due to the perplexing disaster that was The Cat in the Hat, starring Mike Myers.
This 2003 film, The Cat in the Hat, truly embodies the phrase “cat-astrophe.” Looking back, its failure seems almost predetermined. However, in the wake of the surprising success of How the Grinch Stole Christmas (2000) starring Jim Carrey, a misstep seemed unlikely to Universal Pictures. The Grinch movie, directed by Ron Howard and featuring a committed performance from Carrey, doubled its budget domestically and performed well internationally, raking in nearly $350 million. It was a Barbie-esque moment, seemingly proving the formula for success: beloved children’s IP + big-name talent.
Universal, unfortunately, drew the wrong conclusions. Instead of recognizing the creative effort behind The Grinch, they seemed to believe any live-action Dr. Seuss adaptation would be a guaranteed hit, especially one based on The Cat in the Hat, arguably one of Seuss’s most iconic books. What could possibly go wrong with Mike Myers in the lead role?
Promotional movie poster for The Cat in the Hat (2003) featuring Mike Myers as the Cat.
In hindsight, the production of The Cat in the Hat lacked the same caliber of talent that propelled The Grinch. Bo Welch, the director, had a background primarily in production design, with limited experience directing, mainly episodes for short-lived TV shows. While Welch’s visual sensibilities would later prove to be one of the film’s few redeeming qualities, directing a feature film of this scale was arguably beyond his depth. Similarly, the screenwriting team, while venturing into feature films, lacked a proven track record.
The casting of Mike Myers as the Cat, while initially appearing as a box office draw given his post-Shrek and Austin Powers popularity, was also fraught with complications. Myers was reportedly obligated to take on the role due to a legal settlement with producer Brian Grazer after Myers canceled a film adaptation of his “Sprockets” Saturday Night Live sketch. This contractual obligation might explain reports of Myers’ alleged difficult behavior on set, with co-star Amy Hill describing her experience as “horrible” and “nightmarish”. Such behind-the-scenes turmoil rarely bodes well for the final product.
The script itself veered wildly off course, injecting a surprising amount of adult humor into a children’s story. References to “boner jokes” and risqué gags were jarring and inappropriate for the target audience. The plot, stretched thin from the concise children’s book, meandered aimlessly. Even the music suffered, with producer Brian Grazer reportedly discarding a score by Randy Newman, a legendary composer, in favor of his cousin David Newman. To add insult to injury, the soundtrack featured contributions from Smash Mouth, including a cover of The Beatles’ “Getting Better,” further solidifying the film’s early 2000s cringe aesthetic.
Despite the numerous missteps, The Cat in the Hat wasn’t entirely devoid of merit. Bo Welch’s background as a production designer for Tim Burton on films like Beetlejuice and Edward Scissorhands shone through in the film’s visual design. The sets and costumes, when not obscured by questionable CGI, possessed a whimsical and Seussian charm. Kelly Preston and a young Dakota Fanning also managed to deliver innocent and engaging performances amidst the chaos. Furthermore, the film’s mercifully short runtime of 76 minutes (excluding credits) prevents it from becoming a truly unbearable experience.
However, these minor positives were overshadowed by the film’s fundamental flaws and, most significantly, its disastrous reception by Audrey Geisel, Dr. Seuss’s widow. Geisel reportedly loathed The Cat in the Hat so intensely that she imposed a ban on any further live-action adaptations of her late husband’s work for as long as she lived. This effectively halted the burgeoning live-action Seuss-iverse in its tracks, marking The Cat in the Hat as a cinematic pariah.
Ironically, The Cat in the Hat was not a complete financial bomb. Despite a hefty $109 million budget, it grossed approximately $134 million worldwide, with a significant portion coming from the US box office. While not a resounding success, it wasn’t a clear failure either, falling into that ambiguous territory that allows Hollywood to continue making the same mistakes.
Perhaps the true value of The Cat in the Hat lies not in its entertainment value, but in its lessons as a cautionary tale. For those outside the Hollywood machine, the film’s spectacular failure is far more intriguing than if it had been merely mediocre. It serves as a fascinating case study in creative misjudgment, a film that, while deeply flawed, offers a wealth of material for analysis and discussion, especially when viewed with a critical and perhaps slightly inebriated eye.
The Cat in the Hat starring Mike Myers is currently available for streaming on Netflix and for rent on other platforms, if you dare to witness this cinematic oddity for yourself.
