Warner Animation Group Teams with Bad Robot to Adapt Dr. Seuss

Warner Animation Group Teams with Bad Robot to Adapt Dr. Seuss

October 1st, 2020

Jerry Beck

Warner Animation Group, the animated film production arm of Warner Bros. Pictures, and Dr. Seuss Enterprises L.P. announced plans to greatly expand their partnership to bring the iconic stories and characters of Dr. Seuss’ beloved books to life on screen. Bad Robot Productions has been tapped to adapt Oh, The Places You’ll Go! for the big screen, marking the award-winning production company’s first foray into feature animation. J.J. Abrams will serve as producer on the film along with Hannah Minghella, Bad Robot’s Head of Motion Pictures. Additionally, Thing One and Thing Two, the incredibly popular characters from The Cat in The Hat, will get their own starring vehicle in an original feature length animated adventure Thing One and Thing Two (working title). Thing One and Thing Two is currently scheduled for 2026 and Oh, The Places You’ll Go! will bow in 2027.

These two new films mark the latest additions to the growing slate of animated projects that Warner Animation Group and Dr. Seuss Enterprises are developing together that builds out an extensive Dr. Seuss animated universe. The collaboration merges the whimsical worlds of Dr. Seuss with some of the most creative and visionary Hollywood storytellers and artists. Other current projects in development include the The Cat in the Hat feature film that will kick off the new Dr. Seuss movie slate in 2024, with Erica Rivinoja (South Park, Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2) and Art Hernandez (Planes, Planes: Fire and Rescue) on board as directors. Additionally, Warner Bros. Animation’s hit Netflix series Green Eggs and Ham, another joint project, was renewed for a second season.

Susan Brandt, President of Dr. Seuss Enterprises, said, “Warner Animation Group truly understands the timelessness of Dr. Seuss, the incredible impact of the characters and stories, and how to translate the magical appeal to truly come to life on screen. With the amazing talent they are bringing to these projects, we are looking forward to bringing Oh, The Places You’ll Go! and Thing One and Thing Two to fans in a way that will delight them, capture their imaginations, and inspire them to read and re-read the stories. We are also looking forward to collaborating with the incredibly talented Erica Rivinoja and Art Hernandez who we know will make magic with Cat in the Hat.”

“We are so thrilled to expand our creative partnership with Dr. Seuss Enterprises and are even more excited about the expansion of this slate of films,” said Allison Abbate, EVP, Warner Animation Group.

“Our The Cat in the Hat is off to a terrific start with the incredible Erica Rivinoja and Art Hernandez at the helm. Oh, The Places You’ll Go! is one of Seuss’ most enduring masterpieces and its profound and poignant message resonates with fans of all ages. We are thrilled to be working with Hannah and J.J. at Bad Robot to bring this cultural touchstone to life on the big screen. And what could be more fun than to create an original story for Thing One and Thing Two? These two delightfully enigmatic characters will help us explore the magical world that Ted Geisel created with “The Cat in the Hat” and we can’t wait to jump in. This partnership with Susan Brandt and DSE is a perfect fit for WAG and our ongoing vision to produce iconic animated features based on beloved IP.”

Hannah Minghella, Head of Motion Pictures at Bad Robot added, Dr Seuss’ Oh, The Places You’ll Go! is full of the inspiration, imagination, wonder and hope that has encouraged and entertained readers of all ages for generations. It’s hard to imagine a more iconic or beloved book to bring to life as Bad Robot’s first animated feature for WB.”

Additional details about these new projects will be unveiled in the coming months, and more collaborations between Dr. Seuss Enterprises and Warner Animation Group are expected in the future.

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Jerry Beck

Writer, cartoon producer and author of more than 15 books on animation history. A former studio exec with Nickelodeon and Disney; currently on the faculty at both CalArts in Valencia and Woodbury University in Burbank, California.