A new Cat in the Hat is about to cause some serious chaos, and this time, three Latino stars are helping bring the colorful Dr. Seuss world to life. The Cat in the Hat arrives in theaters and IMAX across North America on November 6, 2026, marking the famous character’s animated theatrical feature film debut.
International releases begin November 4. The new Warner Bros. Pictures Animation movie puts a fresh spin on the mischievous character while introducing audiences to siblings Gabby and Sebastian and their family.
© Getty Images for Bentonville FilAt the center of that family are three Latino performers representing different generations of Hollywood talent: America Ferrera, Xochitl Gomez and Tiago Martinez.
Their casting gives the highly anticipated family movie another layer of significance, particularly as Hispanic Heritage Month celebrates Latino culture, accomplishments, and representation across entertainment.
What Is The Cat in the Hat 2026 Movie About?
Forget everything you think you know about the Cat in the Hat. Voiced by Bill Hader, the Cat is now an agent working for the I.I.I.I., otherwise known as the Institute for the Institution of Imagination and Inspiration, LLC. His latest assignment could also be his toughest.
Gabby and Sebastian are siblings struggling to adjust after moving to a new town. The Cat is sent to cheer them up, which sounds simple enough until you remember who is wearing that famous red-and-white hat.
His mission quickly becomes a wild journey filled with imagination, magic, and the kind of rule-breaking mayhem associated with Dr. Seuss' iconic character. There are higher stakes for the Cat, too. Known for taking things too far, he may be facing his last chance to prove himself before losing his magical hat.
The story is directed by Erica Rivinoja and Alessandro Carloni from their screenplay, with a screen story by Caroline Williams. The movie is based on the classic Dr. Seuss book and is the first full-length feature from Warner Bros. Pictures Animation.
America Ferrera Plays Gabby and Sebastian’s Mom
America Ferrera joins The Cat in the Hat as the mother of Gabby and Sebastian, placing the Emmy, Golden Globe and SAG Award winner at the heart of the new family story.
© Mike Marsland/WireImageThe daughter of Honduran immigrants, Ferrera has spent more than two decades building a career that has helped expand Latino visibility in Hollywood.
Her breakthrough performances included Real Women Have Curves and Ugly Betty, with the latter making her one of television's most recognizable leading women. More recently, she appeared in Barbie, earning an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress.
Ferrera's involvement in The Cat in the Hat is particularly fitting for a film about children navigating a major change in their lives. While the Cat supplies the chaos and comedy, Ferrera's character connects Gabby and Sebastian's fantastic adventure to their family.
Xochitl Gomez Voices Gabby in Her First Animated Role
Xochitl Gomez voices Gabby, Sebastian's older sister and one of the two children assigned to the Cat for his unusual new mission. IMDb's current cast listing confirms Gomez as Gabby alongside Tiago Martinez as Sebastian.
© Getty Images for State of the ArThe Mexican American actress first gained wider attention playing Dawn Schafer in Netflix's The Baby-Sitters Club. She then made a major leap into blockbuster filmmaking as America Chavez in Marvel Studios' Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.
Now 20, Gomez is entering another major franchise universe with The Cat in the Hat. The project also brings her back to Dr. Seuss territory after performing in Seussical as a child.
This time, however, audiences will hear rather than see her performance as she steps into her first major voice role.
Tiago Martinez Voices Sebastian in The Cat in the Hat
Playing Gabby's younger brother Sebastian is Tiago Martinez, a young bilingual actor born in Miami.
Martinez began acting at just two years old in Telemundo's Mariposa de Barrio. His growing résumé has since expanded across live action and animation, including credits connected to The Wild Robot, Dora and the Search for Sol Dorado, and Michael.
© Getty Images for NickelodeonIn The Cat in the Hat, Martinez takes on one of his biggest roles yet.
Sebastian and Gabby aren't simply supporting children watching the Cat's antics from the sidelines. They are the reason his latest adventure begins, making Gomez and Martinez essential to the movie's emotional story.
Together with Ferrera as their mother, the young actors create a Latino family at the center of a major animated release.
Bill Hader Leads The Cat in the Hat Voice Cast
The Latino trio is part of a particularly stacked ensemble.
© AFP via Getty ImagesBill Hader voices the Cat himself, while Matt Berry voices the Fish. Quinta Brunson plays Sherri, and the voice cast also includes Giancarlo Esposito, Tituss Burgess, Bowen Yang, and Paula Pell.
Hader's Cat is still the unpredictable troublemaker generations know, but this version expands his world far beyond the familiar house from the original story.
The official synopsis promises a fantastical journey through a world audiences haven't seen before, giving the filmmakers room to expand Dr. Seuss' visual imagination for a new generation.
When Does The Cat in the Hat Come Out?
The Cat in the Hat opens in theaters and IMAX in North America on November 6, 2026, with its international rollout beginning November 4, 2026.
With Bill Hader wearing the magical hat and America Ferrera, Xochitl Gomez, and Tiago Martinez helping anchor the story's central family, this isn't simply another return to a familiar Dr. Seuss character.
It's a new generation's introduction to the Cat, with Latino talent right at the center of the adventure.
