Michelle Pfeiffer Talks THE DARK KNIGHT RISES And Tim Burton's Planned Catwoman Spin-Off

Michelle Pfeiffer Talks THE DARK KNIGHT RISES And Tim Burton's Planned Catwoman Spin-Off

The actress looks back on deciding to play Catwoman in 1992's Batman Returns and also shares her thoughts on Anne Hathaway's take on Selina Kyle in The Dark Knight Rises as well as Time Burton's short-lived plans for a spin-off she would have starred in.

News
By JoshWilding - Apr 23, 2012 04:04 PM EST
Filed Under: Batman
Source: Empire


Talking to Empire Magazine, Michelle Pfeiffer has looked back on playing Catwoman in director Tim Burton's Batman Returns. "Immediately," the Dark Shadows star said when asked how quickly she accepted the iconic role. "I was halfway through the script when I said yes. Someone else was cast in the part and I remember being absolutely devastated and calling my agent and saying, 'How have I not had a meeting about this? Why have I not heard about it?' It was one of those things where Tim had someone in mind and went directly to them. So I was really bummed, but it was okay. When she [Annette Bening] fell out of it I was just leaving the country and got a call to say Tim wanted to meet me. So I went and he gave me the script and I got halfway through and said yes. But you know, honestly, I would have done it anyway, even without reading the script. But I was very happy that she was actually very well written."

"I think that she was someone so dark," added the actress on what it was that made the character so appealing to her. "Dark characters are always more interesting and she's really very dark. That whole split personality is interesting." Pfeiffer went on to reveal that she very nearly played Catwoman in a solo film helmed by Burton. "For a while, like a brief time, Tim was interested in maybe doing a Catwoman movie, but that didn't really last very long." Of course, the femme fatale ended up getting her own big screen outing in 2004's panned Catwoman, starring Halle Berry. As for the latest actress who will play Selina Kyle on the big screen, Anne Hathaway, Pfeiffer had this to say about The Dark Knight Rises star. "Oh, I think she's great. I'm actually very much looking forward to seeing her in the role. I'm a big fan of hers and I think she has everything you need for that role. She has the humour, she can go to dark places, she's obviously very talented. I think she's going to be really good." And would she have played Catwoman for Christopher Nolan if given the chance? "Oh sure. I definitely would have done it."

STARRING:

Christian Bale as Bruce Wayne/Batman
Michael Caine as Alfred
Gary Oldman as Commissioner Jim Gordon
Morgan Freeman as Lucius Fox
Tom Hardy as Bane
Anne Hathaway as Selina Kyle/Catwoman
Joseph Gordon-Levitt as John Blake
Marion Cotillard as Miranda Tate
Josh Pence as Ra's Al Ghul

RELEASE DATE: July 20th, 2012


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AsianVersionOfET
AsianVersionOfET - 4/23/2012, 4:19 PM
SECOND?
Sosa4693
Sosa4693 - 4/23/2012, 4:19 PM
first and cool article
Sosa4693
Sosa4693 - 4/23/2012, 4:19 PM
dammit not first
AsianVersionOfET
AsianVersionOfET - 4/23/2012, 4:20 PM
I knew it! And I didn't care much for her portrayal...actually maybe it was more Burton's directing...both?
someone79
someone79 - 4/23/2012, 4:21 PM
michelle...what a great actress...
AsianVersionOfET
AsianVersionOfET - 4/23/2012, 4:22 PM
@sosa4693, failure!
Knightrider
Knightrider - 4/23/2012, 4:22 PM
Actually seeing them side by side (Well one above the other) I actually prefer the Rises look to Catwoman. I think also it is about context, that you couldn't swap these two around as they wouldn't work in the respected movies.
JDUKE25
JDUKE25 - 4/23/2012, 4:24 PM
Didn't really care that much for her in Returns.

Still unsure about Hathaway's portrayal in TDKR.

Arkham City Catwoman FTW
MrReese
MrReese - 4/23/2012, 4:24 PM
"Oh, I think she's great. I'm actually very much looking forward to seeing her in the role. I'm a big fan of hers and I think she has everything you need for that role. She has the humour, she can go to dark places, she's obviously very talented. I think she's going to be really good."

Thank u 4 reassuring me (already knew XD)

Oh n of course she would've said yes 2 Nolan.
Wildaniel
Wildaniel - 4/23/2012, 4:25 PM
I love Selina/Catwoman, every since I was a kid.

Michelle Pfeiffer's Catwoman was great! Tim Burton's Batman movies is what got me into BATMAN! I would have loved to see her in a solo movie.

Then we have Halle Berry as Catwoman. OMG, I remember watching the trailers thinking the movie was gonna suck. Then I was right, THE WORST MOVIE I HAVE EVER SEEN!!!!!
Deadpool101
Deadpool101 - 4/23/2012, 4:27 PM
Yeah..... Batman returns Catwoman is just soo much better looking than nolans.
Knightrider
Knightrider - 4/23/2012, 4:28 PM
@JDUKE25 I wasn't a fan of the Arkham version, I am all for her using flirtation to get what she wants, but the way she was portrayed just seemed off, I didn't like the costume unzipped thing, it came off cheesy and a little too (We know boys are playing) compared to how other characters have been shown in the games I felt she came across as one of the weakest, i would have much rather had a playable Robin. (I understander that last sentence sets me up for a few jokes, but lets hope we are all mature) lol
McGribble
McGribble - 4/23/2012, 4:31 PM
The one thing I did not like about he Catwoman was the zombie like make-up. The costume was fine, but I'm not really sure why they made her look like she was dead. Her portrayal was fine, but looking back I think the story was lacking in some ways. I think we all wanted a Batman movie so bad, that we were happy with whatever we got. Since we now have so many comic book movies coming out now, we are not as starved for content as we once were. So at least for me, my taste has become more selective and critical.
Minghagz
Minghagz - 4/23/2012, 4:32 PM
Her performance was great but the character was not very well written. I also can't stand the shitty stitched up costume. But I'll give it credit for the cowl.
Knightrider
Knightrider - 4/23/2012, 4:34 PM
Why is the Cowl and the Whip so important, the comics themselves have changed the character numerous times, both adding and taking away elements including the ones you mentioned, so why is it a film, of which the way her character is to be used is still unknown cannot do the same. Is it wrong that Thor didn't have blue trousers in the film no of course not. I understand you couldn't take away the hammer, but the whip and cowl have never defined Catwoman you could take them away (Which has happened in comics) and the character will still retain who they are.
Wildaniel
Wildaniel - 4/23/2012, 4:34 PM
Anne Hathaway is gonna steal the show in TDKR, she is gonna be awesome. I hope the new trailer has a lot of Selina/Catwoman.
marvel72
marvel72 - 4/23/2012, 4:34 PM
she was great in batman returns,fantastic costume miles better than anne hathaway look.
Zarog
Zarog - 4/23/2012, 4:37 PM
Didn't like a Batman film until Batman Begins. Still the bes of the films so far.
Knightrider
Knightrider - 4/23/2012, 4:47 PM
Well I haven't resorted to name calling as don't see the point why a normal debate was out of the question, but anyways i will address your point. I think it is depended on the generation you ask, for instance the older generation who grew up with the 60's TV stuff, will no doubt not mention the cowl as she didn't have one, and she also didn't have one in the comics too, agreed she had the whip in that TV series. However what colour should her costume be? Well it has been Black, Purple and/or Grey all have been used so what one is her defining colour. There is a cliched image of Catwoman, but with the Joker who was perm-white, why is this such a change to the mythos that no one can live with, yet it has been proved that changes have worked.
thewonderer
thewonderer - 4/23/2012, 4:49 PM
This was a terrible Catwoman, but I don't blame her, I blame Burton being a complete supernatural weirdo

What the frak was with the whole dying and nine lives? Shes sexy yeah but laughable how wacky and over the top.

Can't wait for Nolans Catwoman
R888
R888 - 4/23/2012, 4:53 PM
@thewonderer

Wasn't that bad. she was good for catwoman
Anne will [frick]ing rule as catwoman in nolan I trust him
Ghostfire
Ghostfire - 4/23/2012, 4:56 PM
Although I like Hathaway, to me she was the best Catwoman so far.

@thewonderer
Yeah, that was very weird to me too. But once again, its Burton who we are talking about here.
BIGBMH
BIGBMH - 4/23/2012, 5:06 PM
Every time I see the end of Returns, it feels like there's more planned for her, but I never knew they planned on a spinoff.
Knightrider
Knightrider - 4/23/2012, 5:09 PM
I agree straying too far from the source material can be bad, but in many ways in can be a very good thing, as sometimes what works in comics just doesn't translate well to film. Do I believe Nolan got cocky? No not really as he could have made life easy and took a more well known main villain and done a generic comic book movie, however he didn't so I think he has made it harder for himself. Also early on Nolan was seemed to be making an effort to only address her as Selina Kyle rather than Catwoman, my theory is she doesn't go out to look like a cat when she is robbing places, I think it is more of a case that the odd glimpse people catch of her (especially with ears up) earn her the nickname Catwoman also due to the fact she is a cat bugler. Much like in the end of Iron Man, Tony Stark didn't start with the name then make the suit, he had the suit and press gave him the name Iron Man.
Bartman87
Bartman87 - 4/23/2012, 5:44 PM
Not sure why people don't think that Catwoman should have her signature item and that is a WHIP I've asked people who aren't even comic fans and ask what's the first thing they think about Catwoman and they say ears and whip. So yeah there is a change in the costume and while there have been changes over the years the main items have been there for the majority of those years and it would be nice to see them but I guess it isn't practical since a whip could only break the sound barrier and actually create a little more equality in the fighting between Catwoman and others.
PsyGuy
PsyGuy - 4/23/2012, 5:45 PM
Pfeiffer was AMAZING and I pretty much know that Hathaway will be just as good (if not better).

I do like Hathaway's costume better though...
NeoBaggins
NeoBaggins - 4/23/2012, 5:58 PM
Pfeiffer's Catwoman was way off the mark. Besides literally making her a Cat Woman that craves milk and birds, she becomes Catwoman by magic cat resurrection and stitches together a costume Catwoman NEVER wore. But Hathaway is off? lol And since when is Catwoman a mental case walking around like a drunk? Catwoman is smart and calculated. She's not a psycho.

And far as Returns being dark, I agree. A hideous Penguin walking around with a bloody mouth in his underwear is definitely morbid.
mgeoff88
mgeoff88 - 4/23/2012, 5:59 PM
Tim Burton should have moved forward with the Catwoman spin-off movie.

It would've been awesome, unlike the 2004 Catwoman movie we ended up getting.
AUSSYACE
AUSSYACE - 4/23/2012, 6:11 PM
A spin off movie would of been an interesting concept which may not have lead to the two disasters that followed...
jai
jai - 4/23/2012, 6:14 PM
Lets not forget WB realized Tim Burton's direction to making Batman dark is what worked and that's why they went back to that type of franchise, so if not for what Burton did Nolan would not be in the game! Nolan has a great vision and brought a great orgin story, but he strays to much from comic book format, and the costume and batmobile continue to dissapoint.
acidbath
acidbath - 4/23/2012, 6:16 PM
First fags annoy me
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