Warner Bros Pictures Animation's 'The Cat in the Hat' earned about $2.6 million from Thursday night previews in North American cinemas, according to figures the studio released on Friday. The result put the Dr Seuss adaptation on course for an opening weekend of roughly $35 million. Bill Hader voices the title character.

The film is the first feature from Warner Bros' new animation division to adapt a Dr Seuss book. The studio struck a multi-film deal with Dr Seuss Enterprises after Universal's long run of Seuss films with Illumination. Warner Bros moved the release from February 2026 to the November slot, a date distribution executives have long favoured for family films ahead of the holidays.

The preview figure compared favourably with recent animated originals and adaptations, which typically open softly on Thursday nights before strong Saturday matinees. Analysts at Comscore said family audiences tend to buy tickets for weekend daytime shows rather than late-night screenings. The film also benefited from a thin field, with no other wide family release scheduled until later in the month.

A $35 million start would hand Warner Bros a solid platform before the crowded Thanksgiving corridor. Greta Gerwig's 'Narnia' for Netflix has moved to 2027, while Disney's holiday animation is due later in November. Box office analysts said the weekend would test whether the studio can build a Seuss franchise independent of Universal's earlier successes.

The weekend also featured the expansion of specialty titles, including Martin McDonagh's 'Wild Horse Nine', which drew strong reviews this week for John Malkovich's performance. Final weekend estimates are due from the studios on Sunday morning.