46 Things, one corporate cat, and a new language define animated film
Bill Hader voices a reimagined Cat in the Hat whose job involves managing 46 chaotic creatures, with a cast including Quinta Brunson and Giancarlo Esposito.
By Tomas Rahman ·
Audiences going to theaters this Friday will encounter a version of the classic Dr. Seuss character who operates under the constraints of a corporate environment. The new animated film reimagines The Cat in the Hat not merely as a mischievous figure, but as an employee tasked with specific duties during a move-in day.
Bill Hader provides the voice for the protagonist in this adaptation. The narrative structure places the Cat in a managerial role where his objective is to improve the mood of two siblings on a rainy day. To achieve this, he enlists the assistance of numerous creatures known as Things. The source material specifies that these helpers range from Thing One through to Thing 46, indicating a large ensemble of supporting characters.
The Things possess their own dialect, which the cast refers to as Thinglish. Xochitl Gomez, who voices one of the characters, noted that the group’s language includes specific gestures and sounds. She explained that a choreographer named Chris Scott designed these movements to carry distinct semantic value, such as representing the concept of fish. Tiago Martinez, another cast member, identified other meanings in the language, including words for time and immediacy.
The film features a supporting cast that includes Quinta Brunson and Giancarlo Esposito. Brunson plays the Cat’s wife, while Esposito voices his boss. Both actors cited their previous experiences in corporate settings to inform their performances. Brunson mentioned working at BuzzFeed, which she felt mirrored the office dynamics in the movie. Esposito stated that he had to learn how to remain appropriate across various situations to portray the boss effectively.
America Ferrera voices a single mother in the production, while Paula Pell takes the role of a nosy landlady. Ferrera commented on the difficulty of voicing such an iconic character, noting that Hader made the role approachable. Pell highlighted the film’s use of physical humor and adult-oriented jokes as key elements of its appeal. The movie is set to open in theaters on Friday.
The production blends traditional animation with specific comedic rhythms. Hader engaged in a playful exchange during the interview, reacting to offensive-sounding phrases in the Thinglish dialect. The cast members also shared personal talents, such as mimicking a cricket or rolling the throat to sound like a platypus, adding a layer of behind-the-scenes context to the promotional interviews.
