A great many superhero films are getting the opportunity for reassessment in the age of multiversal storytelling. “Deadpool & Wolverine,” “The Flash,” and even the Arrowverse on The CW have all made use of the notion of a multiverse, something the comics have been doing for decades, to bring back actors from eras long since past for another round in the spotlight. So, might Halle Berry’s “Catwoman” also be on deck for a redemption arc? It seems unlikely, to say the least. That said, Berry would be willing to return as the character — under one very strict condition.
Berry recently appeared on “The Tonight Show” to promote her new Netflix movie “The Union.” During the conversation, host Jimmy Fallon touched on her infamous flop that was 2004’s “Catwoman,” which recently celebrated its 20th anniversary. When asked if Berry would consider reprising the role again, the Oscar-winner replied with, “Maybe, if I could direct it.” It wasn’t an outright no, but it also wasn’t a yes either. Not to mention the very big caveat that Berry placed on the proposed project.
For what it’s worth, this isn’t the first time that Berry has suggested she would be open to returning as Catwoman. Be that as it may, it doesn’t seem all that much more likely now than it did the last time it came up. Before digging into the why of it all, Berry addressed “Catwoman” in the modern context, suggesting there has been something of a re-assessment of the film by the younger generation.
“What I’m happy about is … the children have found it now on the internet. The kids love it. So it’s so vindicating because now they’re saying, ‘It’s cool,’ and ‘What the heck was everybody’s problem with it?'”
A new Catwoman movie seems very, very unlikely
For those who may need a refresher, “Catwoman” saw Berry play a graphic artist named Patience Phillips, as opposed to Selina Kyle, who is traditionally Catwoman in the pages of DC Comics. She works for a cosmetics company that is getting ready to release a revolutionary anti-aging product. Patience stumbles upon a dark secret, leading to her being killed. An Egyptian cat who is indebted to Patience for saving its life revives her, gifting her with cat-like powers. Voila! Catwoman is born.
The film was almost universally panned by critics in its day and, without exaggeration, still ranks as one of the biggest superhero movie flops in box office history. This to say, even at a time when the likes of Jennifer Garner’s Elektra is getting a second shot at life thanks to “Deadpool & Wolverine,” a “Catwoman” sequel feels like a big stretch.
As for the condition that Berry direct it herself, that’s not all that farfetched. Berry did direct 2020’s “Bruised.” While the movie wasn’t met with the warmest of responses, she does at least have some experience in that arena. More importantly though, DC Studios heads James Gunn and Peter Safran are currently in the midst of rebooting the DC Universe. All future projects in the DCU will share a cohesive multiverse. The odds of Gunn and/or Safran having any interest in revisiting Berry’s Catwoman seem slim, to put it mildly. In this situation, it’s probably best to let sleeping cats lie.Â
“The Union” is streaming now on Netflix.
