Movies
Bill Hader’s $92 million animated comedy just hit theaters, and Warner Bros. might already be sweating. The studio’s latest big-budget release opened at No. 2 domesticallyand early numbers suggest it needs a serious turnaround to avoid becoming another costly miss.
The Cat in the Hat needs to make a comeback in the coming weeks
The Cat in the Hat opened at No. 2 in North America with $20.5 million domestically, per Variety. The animated film also collected $10 million from 60 international markets. That brings its global start to $30.5 million against a $92 million production budget.
The film faces an uphill battle to recoup its costs at the box office. Theater owners keep roughly 50% of ticket sales, raising the breakeven threshold significantly. Warner Bros. has already endured a brutal year with flops like Digger, The Bride! and Supergirl.
Audiences gave the Bill Hader-voiced film an “A” grade on CinemaScore exit polls. Critics were less enthusiastic, giving it a 45% score on Rotten Tomatoes. The strong audience reception could help sustain legs in the coming weeks.
David A. Gross, who publishes the box office newsletter FranchiseRe, offered a measured outlook. “This is a soft opening,” Gross said. “However, family animation does extremely well in ancillary windows, earning more in digital sales and rental, streaming and TV licensing than in theatrical. That is where the film should recover its costs.”
The film also faces comparisons to more successful Dr. Seuss adaptations. Universal and Illumination’s The Grinch opened to $67 million in 2018. The Lorax debuted to $70 million in 2012. Even Disney and Pixar’s original offering Hoppers managed a $45 million opening this spring.
The 2003 live-action Cat in the Hat starring Mike Myers opened to $38 million, not adjusted for inflation. That film also disappointed, running out of steam with $134 million against a budget above $100 million. Families with young kids haven’t had much to see since Universal’s Forgotten Island in September.