What if DreamWorks Pictures/DreamWorks Animation was founded in 1934?/The Cat in the Hat

The Cat in the Hat  is a 2003 American animated comedy film directed by Bo Welch. Based on the book of the same name by Dr. Seuss, it stars Mike Myers in the title role of the Cat in the Hat and Dakota Fanning and Spencer Breslin as Sally and Conrad. The film is the second feature-length Dr. Seuss adaptation after the 2000 holiday live-action film film How the Grinch Stole Christmas.

The idea was originally conceived in 2001, with Tim Allen initially cast as the Cat, but he dropped his role due to work on The Santa Clause 2, and the role was later given to Myers. While the basic plot parallels that of the book, the film filled out its 82 minutes by adding new subplots and characters significantly different from the original story.

Released on November 21, 2003, in the United States, the film recieved mixed reviews from critics, who praised its animation and humor but criticized Myers' performance of the main character, while was a box-office success.

Plot
Conrad and Sally Walden live in the city of Anville with their mother, Joan. Joan works for neat-freak Hank Humberfloob, as a real estate agent, and is hosting an office party at her house. One day, she is called back to the office, leaving the kids with Mrs. Kwan, a tired babysitter, and forbidding them to enter the living room, which is being kept pristine for the upcoming party. Joan is also dating their next-door neighbor, Larry Quinn, much to Conrad's dismay. Larry is constantly on the lookout for any mischief Conrad may be up to, as he wants nothing more than to send him away to military school, as Conrad has earned the reputation of "hot-headed trouble-maker", while his sister is characterized as "perfect and well-behaved".

Once their mother leaves, Sally and Conrad meet a humanoid, oversized talking cat in a hat in their house. The Cat reveals he wants them to learn to have fun, but the children's pet fish doesn't want the Cat around when Joan is away. The Cat then leaves a trail of destruction across the house. In the process, he releases two trouble-making things, Thing 1 and Thing 2, from a crate that he explains is actually a portal to another world. The Cat tells Conrad that he only has one rule: never open the crate, then allows the Things to have fun, but they make a mess out of the house. Despite the Cat's warning, Conrad picks the lock on the crate. When the crate's lock attaches itself to the collar of the family dog, Nevins, Cat and the kids must go find him and the lock. They drive a super-powered car which Cat names it S.L.O.W. (Super Luxurious Omnidirectional Whatchamajigger) in search of Nevins and use Cat's magic hat. Conrad realizes that the Things always do the opposite to what they are told, and that this can be used to their advantage and has them stall Joan.

Meanwhile, Larry is revealed to be an unemployed slob with dentures, and is in financial debt, though claiming that he is a successful businessman in the hopes of marrying Joan for her money. Larry sees Nevins running across the street and tracks down Joan to tell her, but Things 1 and 2 have stalled her on the road, posing as police officers. Larry goes back to the house, telling Joan to meet him there.

By the time the kids and the Cat (and Larry) return to the house with the lock, a huge mess spills from the unlocked crate and enters the house, seemingly killing Larry in the process. They navigate their way through the oversized house and find the crate while cleaning up. The house is returned to its normal proportions but then immediately falls apart. The Cat tells the kids that he planned the whole day, including making not opening the crate his one rule, as he knew Conrad could not resist. The kids angrily tell the Cat to leave the house. Conrad prepares to face the consequences when Joan comes home, but Sally says she will share the blame. The Cat, having overheard this, happily returns to clean up the mess with a great cleaning contraption. named D.I.R.T. (Dynamic Industrial Renovating Tractormajigger) Afterwards The Cat says goodbye and departs as Joan is arriving. Larry returns, revealing he survived when all was restored, thinking he has busted the kids, but when Joan sees the clean house (and a messy Larry), she does not believe Larry and dumps him. After the successful party, Joan spends time with her children and the Cat finishes narrating. The film ends as he and his Things decide to go on a vacation.