‘The Batman’ Star Zoë Kravitz Has Actually Already Played Catwoman on the Big Screen
Zoë Kravitz is coming back for more as Catwoman.
For decades, many fans have considered comic books to be our modern mythology. These larger-than-life tales of super-powered heroes and dastardly villains have truly become mythic tales passed down from generation to generation. And with comic book movies, that’s perhaps truer than ever.
Take, for instance, how films featuring Marvel and DC characters have come to dominate the industry. Some new characters are finally getting their chance on the big screen, while others are being constantly reinterpreted. Heroes like Batman and Spider-Man might be regularly given new cinematic life. But only a select few villains have regularly reappeared on film.
Such is the case with Catwoman, who — for the first time — is being played on the big screen by an actress with experience in the role.
A new Catwoman for ‘The Batman’
After Ben Affleck’s Batman run came to an end, writer/director Matt Reeves (Dawn of the Planet of the Apes) decided to start fresh. That meant retooling the film to focus on Bruce Wayne early in his career. Much to some fans’ dismay, Robert Pattinson was cast in the lead. And before long, Reeves began populating his Gotham City.
Among the first to join his ensemble cast was Kravitz in the role of Selina Kyle aka Catwoman. We don’t know a whole lot just yet about how the character will play into the story. The Batman is also confirmed to feature characters like Penguin, Riddler, and maybe even Two-Face. So it’s anyone’s guess which villains will have a significant role and which are setups for potential sequels.
Either way, we can probably count on Kravitz’s Catwoman having the same shifty morals as she does on the page. The actress has confirmed her version of Selina Kyle will have the short haircut she often does in the comics. But other than that, neither Kravitz nor Reeves have shared much about how The Batman will adapt Catwoman for the screen.
Zoë Kravitz has experience in the role
Of course, Catwoman has been played on the big screen several times over the years. Batman: The Movie star Lee Meriwether was the first one to play her on film, replacing the show’s Julie Newmar. Then Michelle Pfeiffer took on the role opposite Michael Keaton in Tim Burton’s Batman Returns. Halle Berry played the character in 2004 in the ill-fated Catwoman. And most recently, Anne Hathaway starred in Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight Rises.
However, despite all the talented performers who have played Catwoman to date, Kravitz is the first one to reprise the role from a previous theatrical film. Even hardcore Bat-fans may not realize it, but the actress provided the voice for Catwoman in 2017’s The Lego Batman Movie. The film’s third act features a ton of villains, including many members of Batman’s rogues gallery. So it’s easy to overlook Kravitz’s small role in the ensemble.
We doubt Kravitz will bring her Lego Catwoman’s “meow meow” speech pattern into Reeves’ film. But it’s yet another fun nod of casting her in The Batman. After all, her stepfather, Jason Momoa, also plays Aquaman in DC films. So, in addition to Kravitz being an excellent fit for the part, she brings along all kinds of cool connections to other DC Comics adaptations.
What is Zoë Kravitz doing next?
Before fans get to see Kravitz suit up as the notorious Gotham City cat burglar, the actress will headline the Hulu original series High Fidelity. The show is inspired by the 2000 film starring John Cusack, itself based on the Nick Hornby novel. Like Cusack, Kravitz plays a record store owner with a distinctive sense of humor and a penchant for top-five lists.
High Fidelity — which centers on relationship drama and heartbreak — cheekily premieres on Valentine’s Day. Meanwhile, we still don’t know the ultimate fate of Kravitz’s other show, HBO’s award-winning Big Little Lies. At least Kravitz fans will get another dose of the actress on the small screen before she returns to Gotham City.
The Batman hits theaters on June 25, 2021.
