"The Dark Knight Rises" Villain: Catwoman?!

[Zanahoria_Picante]

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

Anne Hathaway Is Catwoman.

Well, that settles that, then. Warner Bros. has just announced that Anne Hathaway has won the race to star in The Dark Knight Rises... as Selina Kyle. Also known as Catwoman. “I am thrilled to have the opportunity to work with Anne Hathaway, who will be a fantastic addition to our ensemble as we complete our story," said director Christopher Nolan in a press release.

And, in the same press release, WB and Christopher Nolan confirm that the role Tom Hardy will play in the eagerly-awaited Batman threequel is Bane, the muscle-bound super-steroidal freak who, in the comics, once broke Batman's back. “I am delighted to be working with Tom again and excited to watch him bring to life our new interpretation of one of Batman’s most formidable enemies.”

This represents a flood of information for a Christopher Nolan Bat-movie, and gives us plenty to chew on. We can't wait to see Nolan's take on the twisted relationship between Batman and the capricious Cat - and Hathaway certainly has the chops, and the curves, to fill out the catsuit. Intriguingly, Catwoman isn't mentioned in the WB press release, but with Nolan openly admitting that this is the end of his Bat-tale, it's hard to imagine that Kyle won't become Catwoman at some point in the film.


http://www.empireonline.com/news/feed.asp?NID=29929

Yay, Tom Hardy!

As for the rest...

*Openly weeps*

(Better alternatives attached.)

[Tala]

TRAGIC!!! Not to mention lame(zers). That's pretty much the worst path that they could have gone down. Anne Hathaway may be ok... She hasn't been in any serious roles really so at least we don't know for sure if she sucks at them. I'm just bummed that they chose catwoman as a villain. Nolan, you can do better than that!

[Zanahoria_Picante]

Originally Said by Tala

TRAGIC!!! Not to mention lame(zers). That's pretty much the worst path that they could have gone down. Anne Hathaway may be ok... She hasn't been in any serious roles really so at least we don't know for sure if she sucks at them. I'm just bummed that they chose catwoman as a villain. Nolan, you can do better than that!

Exactly. Really, Nolan? Really?

I mean, I somehow think he'll work his cinemagic even on the horrors...*wince*...of Catwoman, but she's just so...tawdry. And Anne Hathaway? I mean, she's...



...with the...



...and the...



AGH!!! *Clutches sides of head, trying to crush (or at the very least reconcile) the images*

...

It kind of seems like he chose her merely because she's voluptuous, which really...kind of makes me angry, frankly.

I mean, how do you go from this:



To Let's-dress-up-in-revealing-costumes-without-a-trace-of-character-depth-woman?

[Jenn and tonic]

I think it could work. Have you seen Anne Hathaway in Rachael Getting Married? The role is very dark, she plays a drug addict on a weekend pass from rehab to go to a wedding; she was absolutely fantastic in it (in fact, she was nominated for an Oscar for that role....and to be honest, her role and a subplot to the movie were the best things about the movie). When you dig through her movie catalogue, you'll find a couple of them in there that demonstrate how GOOD of an actress that she can be. The problem is that most people see the stuff like Princess Bride or Bride Wars *or whatever that movie was called* so that's what she gets cast in most of the time. Give it a chance...and if it's bad I'll be the first to burn Nolan's likeness in effigy.

[EmperorChaos]

Originally Said by Jenn and tonic

I think it could work. Have you seen Anne Hathaway in Rachael Getting Married?

no, rachael doesn't get married. she become a nun.

[Yugoloth]

Remember that before The Dark Knight, Heath Ledger was most famous as a gay cowboy. Who herded sheep.

I'm just sayin'. Nolan won't let us down.

[Zanahoria_Picante]

Originally Said by Jenn and tonic

I think it could work. Have you seen Anne Hathaway in Rachael Getting Married? The role is very dark, she plays a drug addict on a weekend pass from rehab to go to a wedding; she was absolutely fantastic in it (in fact, she was nominated for an Oscar for that role....and to be honest, her role and a subplot to the movie were the best things about the movie). When you dig through her movie catalogue, you'll find a couple of them in there that demonstrate how GOOD of an actress that she can be. The problem is that most people see the stuff like Princess Bride or Bride Wars *or whatever that movie was called* so that's what she gets cast in most of the time. Give it a chance...and if it's bad I'll be the first to burn Nolan's likeness in effigy.

Yes, I have seen, actually. She was quite versatile and dark in that, you're right. Indeed, it's just her princess-esque-role / slutty type-casting that almost completely obfuscates her darker, more serious roles--so much so that it's hard to separate her from them. But yes, *sigh* I'm sure you're right. Hopefully, there shan't be a need for effigies.

Originally Said by EmperorChaos

no, rachael doesn't get married. she become a nun.

That's the dream, anyway.

Originally Said by Yugoloth

Remember that before The Dark Knight, Heath Ledger was most famous as a gay cowboy. Who herded sheep.

I'm just sayin'. Nolan won't let us down.

I really want to believe that, but as much as Nolan has proven his unconventional, unexpected whims to be amazing, you have to wonder if he's getting overconfident in choosing such an awful character. Can even Nolan's wizardry work on such a conundrum as Catwoman (and in overcoming Halle Berry's "interpretation" of her)? My heart says yes; my brain says, please...make the images stop.

I know you're right; it's just a matter of quelling the images (and the mild nausea) at the moment, it seems. <:/

[Yugoloth]

The Halle Berry catwoman was awful, but Michelle Pfeiffer made a pretty good creepy and sexy version of the character. Anyway, Bane is supposed to break Batman's back, ending the Batman story, so perhaps a little levity in the form of a bubbly Anne Hathaway Catwoman (a la the old Adam West movie) will be allowable.

[Zanahoria_Picante]

That might be true. The idea of Bane breaking Batman's back (alliteration...) does lack a certain bubbly quality. o.O Unless he, too, is somewhat goofy, like Tom Hardy's Eames' character.

*Now trying [not] to picture someone breaking someone else's back goofily*

It will be interesting to see.

[GoddessDivine]

I am 100% behind Anne as Catwoman. I think she is a great actress. I mean come on guys...i really thought they were going to cast some dumb actress like Megan Fox.

I love Anne so maybe I am biased but remember she was in Brokeback Mt as well and JT was right about Rachel getting Married. I loved her in Becoming Jane and Alice in Wonderland, but she does have crappy movies like Bride Wars. She has beauty and brains which imo is necessary to capture Selina Kyle's character. I must say though she has large shoes to fill bc MP was a very good catwoman

[Funk*Sonic*7]

There's going to be a whole schlew of superhero movies coming out within the next couple years. (Avengers, Green Latern, Thor, Captain America, Batman, Spiderman, X-Men, Transformers, The Return of Pootietang) Every superhero movie by the 3rd sequel seems to always take a more campy direction. We shall see if this one is any different.

[Zanahoria_Picante]

Originally Said by GoddessDivine

I am 100% behind Anne as Catwoman. I think she is a great actress. I mean come on guys...i really thought they were going to cast some dumb actress like Megan Fox.

I love Anne so maybe I am biased but remember she was in Brokeback Mt as well and JT was right about Rachel getting Married. I loved her in Becoming Jane and Alice in Wonderland, but she does have crappy movies like Bride Wars. She has beauty and brains which imo is necessary to capture Selina Kyle's character. I must say though she has large shoes to fill bc MP was a very good catwoman

I did like Becoming Jane. And she was pretty entertaining in Get Smart and The Devil Wears Prada. I mean, she is likable and entertaining. She just doesn't seem quite Nolan-esque.

The character just seems so superficial; and it would be really sad if it became all about ...all the obvious things Catwoman could be about (being a "Cattubus"). A downfall worthy of many sighs, that would be. I don't really think it will happen; it just was the one choice I, and not a few others, were hoping he wouldn't go with.

It almost seems incongruous with everything else he's done; his first two films were so awesome; this material just seems so weak by comparison to Ra's al Ghul and The Joker (not that anything or anyone can top the latter). I'm sure he'll do his choices well. It's just a little... odd.

Originally Said by Funk*Sonic*7

There's going to be a whole schlew of superhero movies coming out within the next couple years. (Avengers, Green Latern, Thor, Captain America, Batman, Spiderman, X-Men, Transformers, The Return of Pootietang) Every superhero movie by the 3rd sequel seems to always take a more campy direction. We shall see if this one is any different.

Nolan is different: Comparing his films to those others is like comparing Thomas Kinkade to Jan Vermeer. He is in a league of his own; even if he completely trashes the last movie (which I don't believe he will, considering his previous standards for quality), the first two stand alone in the genre. That's what I think, anyway.

[Jenn and tonic]

Originally Said by Zanahoria_Picante

I did like Becoming Jane. And she was pretty entertaining in Get Smart and The Devil Wears Prada. I mean, she is likable and entertaining. She just doesn't seem quite Nolan-esque.

Well, to be fair, Katie Holmes is DEFINITELY not your definition of "Nolan-esque." In fact, I think casting her was a horrible decision (the girl cannot act herself out of a paper bag), but since she played a relatively small part in the scheme of things in Batman Begins, the movie was good anyway.

I think you're not keeping an open mind about her as an actress.

[Zanahoria_Picante]

Originally Said by Jenn and tonic

Well, to be fair, Katie Holmes is DEFINITELY not your definition of "Nolan-esque." In fact, I think casting her was a horrible decision (the girl cannot act herself out of a paper bag), but since she played a relatively small part in the scheme of things in Batman Begins, the movie was good anyway.

I think you're not keeping an open mind about her as an actress.

A good point: Anne Hathaway is infinitely better than KAAAATTTIIIIIIIEEE! Holmes (and her acting was awful in the first). But... it would be sad if this were a repeat of that. I'm sure you're right that I should keep a more opened mind; it's just hard to envision--all of it together.

*David-Puddy-esque squinty stare of quasi-concentration*

Sorry for ranting, though, and for "slandering" Anne Hathaway (I think I might have reached an all-time low there). I do actually quite like her as an actress in other movies; it's just a matter of trusting that Nolan knows what he's doing, and that she will rise to the oc-cat-ion. ;)

[GoddessDivine]

Katie holmes...epic fail imo

They should really think about making a Calendar Man movie

[Zanahoria_Picante]

Just FYI, Joseph Gordon-Levitt is now rumored to play Calender Man.


(He was also quite dubiously rumored to be playing Robin; hence, the doubly egregious double-face-pasting. *Inappropriately haughty sigh*)

...

Okay, so technically the character is not Calender Man, but spookily close: The Holiday Killer.

Basically, "Calender Man...as he should have been."

Again, only a rumor since it has not been confirmed by Nolan, and therefore not worth very much, other than its uncanny relation to the bizarre tangent in this thread.

...

P.S.

I rescind all doubts of Nolan's genius and hence the inevitable success of this coming film--mostly due to having just re-watched Batman Begins again. Whatever course he chooses [yes, even Calender Man], he will do it justice.

"Forgive me; I was wrong to despair."

[SketchImpressions]

< I love batman movies in general.
and I am so excited to see this one. I think anne has the acting skills hands down to be a sexy slinky sneaky cat woman. The big question is will she be beilevable doing he stunts? she dosn't have to be heathcreepy to make a good female villian. I am hoping she will be more like the orginal cat woman. http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=...w=1280&bih=571

[Jenn and tonic]

Sketch, I agree. I did like Michelle Pfieffer (forgive the spelling there, I kinda guessed...). I think Anne Hathaway will bring back that Julie Newmar, sultry feel.

[Zanahoria_Picante]

Originally Said by SketchImpressions

she dosn't have to be heathcreepy to make a good female villian.

It's not so much the "less-creepiness" as the "more-tawdry-ness" that is bothersome. Which the original character/s is/are: tawdry. She is literally a dominatrix with cat ears.

Watching Becoming Jane (repeatedly...) has revived my trust in Anne Hathaway's acting and my trust in Nolan's talent has not wavered--it is the disparity between that trust and the inherently shallow, salacious nature of the character that makes it so vexing.

Stuff about Catwoman's creation:

Wanting to give his Batman comic books sex appeal and someone who could appeal to female readers as a female Batman, Kane and writer Bill Finger created a "friendly foe who committed crimes but was also a romantic interest in Batman's rather sterile life." She was meant to be a love interest and to engage Batman in a chess game with him trying to reform her. At the same time, this character was meant to be different from other Batman villains like the Joker in that she was never a killer or evil.

As for using cat imagery with their Catwoman, Kane states he and Finger saw cats as "kind of the antithesis of bats."

“I felt that women were feline creatures and men were more like dogs. While dogs are faithful and friendly, cats are cool, detached, and unreliable. I felt much warmer with dogs around me—cats are as hard to understand as women are. Men feel more sure of themselves with a male friend than a woman. You always need to keep women at arm's length. We don't want anyone taking over our souls, and women have a habit of doing that. So there's a love-resentment thing with women. I guess women will feel that I'm being chauvinistic to speak this way, but I do feel that I've had better relationships with male friends than women. With women, once the romance is over, somehow they never remain my friends."

Yep, maybe a little. But oh well.

Sorry; seeing as most of AS (i.e. seemingly everyone but me) is pro-Catwoman, I will try not to rant as much. Just heartily not a fan.

[GoddessDivine]

Of all DC female characters I must say that Catwoman has to be my favorite, aside from Wonder Woman of course. I like wonder woman and all but sometimes you just need a sort of antihero character to liven it up and in steps catwoman. I dont know why I like her...i just do. She has evolved over the years though. He first appearances as The Cat long ago caught me cause that was Batmans first love interest that actually interested me. Back in the Golden age when she showed up the other women in the comics were usually nameless or just damsels in distress. The only early Batman female love interest that interested me at all was Ras al Ghuls daughter Talia...but she was kinda crazy lol