The original, notoriously unsettling costume worn by Mike Myers in the 2003 film adaptation of Dr. Seuss’s The Cat in the Hat is heading to auction with memorabilia company Propstore. The red-and-white striped hat and oversized bow tie have quickly gone viral online, sparking widespread social media horror reactions ahead of the August 26–29 sale.
The Bottom Line
- The Sale: Propstore is putting the original 2003 live-action costume up for auction from August 26 to 29.
- The Backlash: Images of the empty suit have gone viral on X and TikTok, heavily feeding into existing internet horror edits of the critically maligned film.
- The Legacy: The movie’s critical score and infamous reception led Dr. Seuss’s widow to forbid any future live-action adaptations.
Decoding the Propstore Listing That Broke Social Media
When Propstore uploaded catalog shots of the screen-used wardrobe from the 2003 feature, nobody anticipated a viral cultural reckoning. Without Mike Myers inside it to anchor the manic physical comedy, the foam-and-fabric feline creation takes on an aggressively menacing, haunted energy. Here is the kicker: internet users wasted no time pointing out the dark irony that the comedian shares his name with the fictional serial killer from the Halloween horror franchise, Michael Myers, drawing immediate comparisons between the two dead-eyed masks.
The auction listing arrives on the heels of a thriving TikTok trend where digital creators recut and re-score scenes from the Bo Welch-directed film to frame it as a grim psychological thriller. Rather than celebrating a piece of cinematic history, social media timelines treated the promotional images like prop pieces from a prestige horror release.
| Metric | Figure |
|---|---|
| Production Budget | $109million |
| Worldwide Box Office Gross | $134milion |
| Rotten Tomatoes Score | 10 per cent |
| Golden Raspberry (Razzie) Nominations | 10 Razzies |
Box Office Realities and the End of Live-Action Dr. Seuss
To understand why this costume generates such visceral reactions, you have to look at the financial and creative wreckage left behind in late 2003. Directed by Bo Welch and featuring a starry cast including Alec Baldwin, Kelly Preston, Dakota Fanning, and Spencer Breslin, the film limped to a meager $134milion worldwide against a steep $109million production budget. Add in 10 Razzies and a dismal 10 per cent critical approval rating, and the project stands as a textbook example of studio overreach.
The fallout extended far beyond Hollywood balance sheets. The film’s critical drubbing and tonal misfires prompted the widow of Dr. Seuss to institute a strict ban on any future live-action adaptations of her late husband’s beloved literary catalog.
How the Franchise Pivots to Animation
While physical memorabilia from the 2003 disaster finds a second life among internet ironists, an upcoming animated feature adaptation of The Cat in the Hat is slated to hit cinemas on November 6. The voice cast boasts heavy-hitting comedic talent, with Bill Hader stepping in to voice the title character alongside Matt Berry, Quinta Brunson, Xochitl Gomez, Giancarlo Esposito, and America Ferrera.
As Propstore prepares to drop the gavel on Myers’s infamous suit later this month, fans are left to decide whether owning a piece of cinema history is worth inviting a cursed feline energy into their living rooms.
