The fall season is typically a time at which people get scared of Michael Myers, not Mike Myers, but 2026 is different. Schools around the world are on high alert thanks to a viral trend that is centered around the live-action Cat In The Hat movie. (Image credit: Universal Pictures)With just months to go until the animated Cat In The Hat movie arrives on the 2026 movie schedule, reports from USA Today and many other news outlets are detailing this TikTok trend that has spread from the United States all the way to Europe. As paranoia mounts in communities and the video continues to spread, here's what's going on so far. What Is The Cat In The Hat Trend?The trend started with a TikTok account (that is currently private), which featured videos of an AI-Generated image of a man dressed as Mike Myers' The Cat In The Hat in a basement dancing to creepy music. The videos are now in wide circulation, with people all around the world re-uploading it, but also adding cities local to their area or even the names of high schools. Here's an example: @20869k3 ♬ original sound - coryintheabyss The prank is spreading quickly and appears somewhat reminiscent of the trend of scary clowns appearing in public to disturb people. Unfortunately, it's quickly spiraled out of control, and it's led to real consequences that nearly aren't as enjoyable as the live-action movie. Schools Have Closed And Arrests Have Been Made Worldwide, Thanks To The Cat In The Hat TrendAs mentioned, the trend is causing panic amongst school districts across the world, as police respond to copycats posting the video with the names of specific high schools or people. A Florida teen was arrested after posting a video about a Kentucky high school, and similar threats are under investigation in many other states. Similar events are happening in Latin America and Europe, and they even prompted a response from Ireland's national police service. The department released the following statement on August 20th: In an unusual turn of events we are hearing a lot about an elusive Dr Seuss character doing the rounds online, apparently causing havoc in neighbourhoods and towns across the country. Fortunately, we can rule out the issue, which is essentially an AI prompt that places the character into images/videos of familiar places. To be clear, the Cat in the Hat was not in your driveway while you were out and he is not currently hiding out in Curracloe.It may sound silly but, in decades past, we've learned about prolific serial killers who dressed up as clowns, and fall is also a time when imaginations can run wild due to watching some of the best horror movies. It's understandable there's panic tied to this, and it's reassuring to see that authorities around the globe are looking into those making threats. This all may serve as a reminder to parents to talk to children about what they're sharing on social media, and the impact it could have on them. Of course, this also ties into a larger conversation about how aspects of pop culture can be altered to fit into a trend, for better and for worse. 2003's The Cat in the Hat (an adaptation of the Dr. Seuss story of the same name) does evoke nostalgia in some circles, but I'm not sure anyone could've expected it'd be linked to something like this.We'll see how this saga plays out as more videos make rounds, and more communities are forced to respond. Admittedly, I'm wondering if someone in Hollywood is getting inspired to make a screenplay as we speak and maybe even writing a role with Mike Myers in mind.