It’s time for theDCU’sThe Brave and the Boldand other Batman-related installments to bring a key Gotham character back to their roots.The DCU’sGods and Monsterschapter includes a key installment that will likely shape the whole franchise, particularly in the more grounded corners of the new DC Universe:Andy Muschietti’s upcomingThe Brave and the Boldmovie— the first DCU movie starring Batman with a brand-new cast and a new continuity separate from every previous live-action iteration of the Dark Knight.
The Brave and the Boldwill also introduce a new Robin many years after the hero’s last big-screen appearance in Joel Schumacher’sBatman & Robin. With a new Robin, a new Gotham, a new gallery of villains, and possibly a new Bat-Family, the DCU’sThe Brave and the Boldcould open the door for the most well-developed and complex live-action Gotham ever translated on the big screen. One character, in particular, could benefit from a deeper exploration of Gotham’s comic book lore.
The DCU’s Catwoman Could Finally Be A Villain Again
Catwoman Has Spent Too Long Being Batman’s Ally And Romantic Interest
Catwoman is known for walking the line between hero and villain in the comics, being part of Batman’s large gallery of villains and sometimes even part of the Bat-Family. However,most of Catwoman’s live-action portrayalshave been undeniably heroicfor the past three decades. Halle Berry’s Catwoman starred in her own movie with an underdog plot where she proved her worth as a supernatural hero; Camren Bicondova’s Selina Kyle accompanied a young Bruce Wayne in his early steps as a hero inGotham, Anne Hathaway’s Catwoman briefly betrayed Batman inThe Dark Knight Rises, yet she quickly sided with him to defeat Bane.
Tim Burton’s Unmade Batman Movie Makes DC’s Worst-Rated Film An Even Bigger Failure
Tim Burton’s Batman Returns solo spinoff Catwoman would have been much better than the infamous 2004 Halle Berry-led movie, as revealed by its writer.
Now, Matt Reeves’The Batmanfranchise is portraying Catwoman as Batman’s closest ally and love interest, with a justified anti-hero persona she uses to oppose criminals such as Carmine Falcone and the Penguin. Since Andy Muschietti’sThe Brave and the Boldwill introduce a brand-new version of Batman, it could avoid repeating the same dynamics between Bruce Wayne and Seline Kyle, and instead give Catwoman an antagonist role in the DCU’s Gotham. After all, Batman’s main romantic relationship could be Talia Al Ghul, as she’s Damian Wayne’s mother in the source material.
What The DCU’s Catwoman Could Learn From Batman Returns’ Selina Kyle
Michelle Pfeiffer’s Catwoman Stands Out Due To Her Unpredictable And Treacherous Personality
Among all live-action Catwoman portrayals,Michelle Pfeiffer’s take on Selina Kyle in Tim Burton’sBatman Returnshas been the most popular.Pfeiffer’s Catwoman captures the character’s essence perfectly: she is wildly unpredictable, fully independent, and driven by her own spontaneous and ever-changing goals. Although Zoe Kravitz and Anne Hathaway’s Catwomen have crossed Batman, they’re sincerely on his side by the end of their respective movies. In theDCU’sThe Brave and the Boldand beyond, Catwoman might borrow some inspiration from Michelle Pfeiffer’s Selina Kyle in order to pose a real threat once again.
