Marvel Studios arguably did it
first, and now other studios are looking for new franchises to turn into a universe
of interconnected works, preferably cinematic. Alternatively they might take an
existing IP with a self-contained setting (“Lord of the Rings,” “Game of
Thrones”) and look to expand them into a “true” verse. TV/cinematic universes
are the thing, and the race is on to find the right franchise as source
material. The Warner Animation Group has their finger on one IP in particular,
the creations of children’s author-illustrator Theodor Geisel, aka Dr. Seuss.
While some of his whimsical rhyming books have had adaptations before, this
time there will be a universe.
Vanity Fair has it that Warner Animation Group has inked a partnership
with Dr. Seuss Enterprise, keepers of the estate of the late Dr. Seuss who
passed away in 1991. The fruit will be a “Seuss-verse” that will start with a
new animated film for an iconic Seuss character, “The Cat in the Hat” which is
scheduled for release 2024. It will be followed by a spinoff featuring two supporting
characters from the aforementioned film/book, “Thing One & Thing 2.” And
then a Seuss book that has never been adapted will get a turn: “Oh, The Places
You Can Go!”
Dr. Seuss Enterprise president
Susan Brandt notes how the films of the Seuss-verse will be built beyond the
limited scope of the original books’ narratives. By “stretching the fabric” as
it were, the movies can then dig more into the personalities of the many quirky
characters within. Allison Abate, executive VP for the Warner Animation Group, adds
that this is in the spirit of the author Seuss in the way he builds worlds. One
caveat is that barring direct sequels, the Seuss-verse films will not actually
tie into each other story-wise like the MCU, but will universally be “styled
Seuss.”
"While it will all feel like
part of the Seuss universe, they live in their worlds, and they're not
necessarily going to interact in the same films," explains Brandt. The
studio will instead focus on the common elements Dr. Seuss employed in his
books, as Brandt puts it, "The color palettes are different, the
architecture is different, but you look at those and go, 'That's a Dr. Seuss
book.'” Among the directors and producers Warner has reached out to for the
Seuss-verse are J.J Abrams, Art Hernandez of Disney, Erica Rivinoja of “South
Park,” and Hanna Minghella of Bad Robot.
“The Cat in the Hat” has been
adapted several times in big and small screens, including a 2003 live-action
take with Mike Myers as the titular cat. Other Seuss films include “The Grinch,”
“Horton Hears a Who,” and “The Lorax.”
Image courtesy of Slash Film
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