The Batman Will Reportedly Feature Penguin and Catwoman

With Robert Pattinson on the verge of boarding The Batman, additional details have begun to surface in regards to the Matt Reeves production. In a report from The Hollywood Reporter, Reeves is eyeing iconic Batman villains the Penguin and Catwoman as two of the film’s antagonists opposite Pattinson’s Caped Crusader. Batman’s extensive rogues gallery will be on full display in the film, with Penguin and Catwoman being just two of the reported six villains that will end up appearing in the latest reboot.

It wouldn’t be the first time in live-action for either of the iconic Batman baddies, who’ve both appeared a handful of times. Burgess Meredith originally appeared as Penguin in the original Batman television series before appearing in Tim Burton’s Batman Returns played by Danny DeVito is a now-iconic role. Catwoman, on the other hand, has been played by Michelle Pfeiffer, Anne Hathway, Eartha Kitt, and Julie Newmar, to name a few. Conveniently enough, both of the characters appeared on Fox’s Gotham, which just wrapped up its final season last month. There, they were played by Robin Lord Taylor and Camren Bicondova, respectively.

Reeves himself previously described the movie as a noir tale, claiming it’d focus more on the detective side of the fan-favorite character rather than the gadgetry and explosive action we’ve seen in prior films.

“It’s very much a point of view-driven, noir Batman tale,” Reeves previously told The Hollywood Reporter. “It’s told very squarely on his shoulders, and I hope it’s going to be a story that will be thrilling but also emotional. It’s more Batman in his detective mode than we’ve seen in the films. The comics have a history of that. He’s supposed to be the world’s greatest detective, and that’s not necessarily been a part of what the movies have been. I’d love this to be one where when we go on that journey of tracking down the criminals and trying to solve a crime, it’s going to allow his character to have an arc so that he can go through a transformation.”

The Batman is currently scheduled for release on June 25, 2021.