Catwoman: Lonely City Is the Perfect Story for Michelle Pfeiffer’s Batman Return

DC fans sat up and took notice today when Michelle Pfeiffer said she’s open to returning to the Batman movie franchise. Pfeiffer played Selina Kyle/Catwoman in Tim Burtons 1992 sequel Batman Returns, and her portrayal of Catwoman (and that full-body spandex suit) have been iconic ever since. Obviously, with everything DC and Warner Bros. are currently doing with exploring ideas of a DC Movie Multiverse, any possibility is on the table. Michael Keaton is suiting up again as Batman for both The Flash movie and Batgirl movie that are in post-production. So why not Michelle Pfeiffer’s Catwoman? 

Yes, getting Pfeiffer to cameo as Catwoman in a DC movie would be amazing – but Michelle Pfeiffer too much of an amazing actress to waste on a bit cameo. And why play around with de-aging technology in attempt to recapture Pfeiffer’s past in the DC Movie Universe? A rare bit of synergy has actually given us a perfectly good new story that would also just-so-happen to be perfect for a present-day Michelle Pfeiffer to star in: Catwoman Lonely City. 

READ: Catwoman: Lonely City Official Review

Our ComicBook Nation podcast recently did a breakdown about what makes this new limited series from DC’s Black Label imprint and creator Cliff Chiang so great. Watch that breakdown in the video above and c check out the synopsis for Catwoman: Lonely City, below: 

“Ten years ago, the massacre known as Fools’ Night claimed the lives of Batman, The Joker, Nightwing, and Commissioner Gordon…and sent Selina Kyle, the Catwoman, to prison. A decade later, Gotham has grown up-it’s put away costumed heroism and villainy as childish things. The new Gotham is cleaner, safer…and a lot less free, under the watchful eye of Mayor Harvey Dent and his Batcops. It’s into this new city that Selina Kyle returns, a changed woman…with her mind on that one last big score: the secrets hidden inside the Batcave! She doesn’t need the money-she just needs to know…who is “Orpheus?”

That premise is, admittedly, set up for a “middle-aged” version of Selina Kyle – but it’s such an easy tweak to extend the age a bit so that Pfeiffer (still stunning at 63) would be a fit. 

Lonely City‘s version of Selina is stoic and hardened from prison time out the outside – but very vulnerable driven, and tormented on the inside, while also struggling with the new limits of her own physicality. It’s great dramatic weight for the sort of  ‘Black Label’ imprint DC and WB informally started with the release of Todd Phillips and Joaquin Phoenix’s Joker. Whether it’s a big-screen project or a prestige limited series  (like the comic) for HBO Max, it has both intrigue as a mystery heist-thriller and dramatic weight as a character study. 

Best of all, Lonely City is chock-full of Batman characters and world-building lore, without requiring too much costumed silliness – especially for Catwoman. Pfeiffer could return to the role and put a new (but familiar) spin on her Selina Kyle, and not have to suffer the indignity of trying to face that latex suit again – without shorting comic book fans on the pulpy bits. The series’ version of Catwoman’s crew (hilariously tragic aging Batman rogues) are more than enough pulp, as are elements like mayor Two-Face, cops dressed in Batman tactical gear, etc – take or leave what you will in adapting it. It’s a nice balance, and some deep and darker moments in the series carry serious Logan vibes. With DC/WB trying to nail a model of quality variation, this opportunity would be a shame to waste. 

Be sure to check out Cliff Chiang’s Catwoman: Lonely City, which is currently ongoing from DC Black Label. And check out ComicBook Nation every Friday on podcast and streaming services.