With Zoe Kravitz cast as Catwoman, did DC ensure that the new Batman is a flop even before the start of production?
DC is gearing up for the new Batman movie, set to release in 2021. The new movie comes with an all-new cast. Robert Pattinson confirms to take on the lead role as Bruce Wayne aka Batman. Furthermore, 2 new cast members were recently announced. Zoe Kravitz will play ‘Catwoman’ whereas Paul Dano takes up the antagonist role as Batman’s nemesis ‘The Riddler’.
While Dano as The Riddler may be a jackpot, DC appears to have fallen short with the casting of Catwoman. In fact, casting Kravitz could be the worst introducing they make to the Universe.
The 2004 Catwoman starring Halle Barry was a flop. The movie received a bad response due to the portrayal of the character that DC showed in the movie. Nowhere in the film did Catwoman resemble the comic book character that fans love. John Rogers, one of the movie writers said that his main goal with the script was simply to turn it into something that fans might enjoy. Still, Catwoman is regarded as one of the greatest flops of that time. Prior to its release, it was positioned with a blockbuster pedigree.
Why Catwoman flopped at the box office?
Catwoman was a massive flop due to several issues. The acting, the characterization of Catwoman herself and the storyline, all underwhelmed. Rogers goes on explaining that before he saw the script, there had been multiple hands over it. He described that the movie was being “dumped by the studio” so the impression is that nobody was necessarily looking for Catwoman to be a great movie. The studio was just trying to figure out how to make something that would successfully recoup the investment.
Halle Berry also received the worst actress award for Catwoman. It wasn’t Halle that led to this award. Instead, it’s the character that made her receive the award. At that time, Halle Berry was at her apex of both critical and commercial success. She was the first African-American to take home the Oscar for Best Actress. Casting her in the lead role for Catwoman was considered a major coup for Warner Bros.
Catwoman as a Character
It looks like Warner Bros. is not able to portray the character just like the Catwoman we have seen in the comics. Every Catwoman fan knows the basis of the character. She has always been a thorn in Batman’s side and not just as an enemy, but as a lover to the caped crusader.
Catwoman is a fictional character by the name of Selina Kyle. She is an orphan and learns to survive on Gotham City’s streets with time. Selina kicked asses and fought off her enemies in style. She learned martial arts and trained extensively to perfect her skills in cat burglary. This made her an inconstant villain and occasional ally to Batman.
The character that played Catwoman
Batman has never been without his Catwoman. Catwoman is arguably the most recognizable of Gotham’s rogues’ gallery. Catwoman is possibly the most beloved of Batman’s antagonists and has appeared in every version of the franchise.
The character was first seen in 1940 Batman. Recently, Anne Hathaway is being seen in The Dark Knight Rises. Now Zoe Kravitz will be playing the role of Catwoman. That said, it’s difficult to say that this time we will get to see a comeback for the character.
Could Zoë Kravitz survive?
Zoe Kravitz will suit up as the new Catwoman alongside Robert Pattinson as Batman. In the new Batman movie, DC is trying to make its new mantra work. DC is focusing on solo hero movies like Wonder Woman and Aquaman.
It could not be a one-time job for Zoe Kravitz to star as Catwoman in Warner Bros. films. If the franchise is thinking to make a reboot of Catwoman, they need to come up with a good storyline and character portrayal. We can say this because history hasn’t been so kind to the character.
Kravitz future as Catwoman
This will not be the first time for Kravitz to play the role of Catwoman. She previously voiced the character in DC Comics’ “The Lego Batman Movie”. While she hasn’t got an extended turn in any superhero franchise before, so it’s difficult to predict that she could be best for the movie. The Catwoman character could do something in the new Batman movie, but a solo film for the character is difficult to survive.
After the announcement that Zoe Kravitz will be playing Catwoman, Halle Berry shared a post on twitter. She wrote, “Special shout-out to your new #CatWoman, the eternally graceful & extremely badass @ZoeKravitz. Keep shining Queen & welcome to the family!”
The Batman hits theaters on June 25, 2021. Stay tuned to get the latest news regarding Zoe Kravitz, Halle Berry, Catwoman and the future of DC Films.
