Geeks WorldWide and We Got This Covered have revealed the current Catwoman shortlist for Matt Reeves‘ The Batman. Reeves is looking for a woman of color for the iconic role, and he has his eyes set on six actresses.
Lupita Nyong’o (Black Panther), Tessa Thompson (Thor: Ragnarok), Gugu Mbatha-Raw (Beauty and the Beast), Alexandra Shipp (Dark Phoenix), Logan Browning (Dear White People), and Rihanna (Battleship) are all currently on the wishlist for Selina Kyle/Catwoman.
Let’s unpack this. I find it hard to believe that, even if offered, Thompson would take the role when it’s clear Marvel has a future planned for her character Valkyrie. I’m hesitant to say the same for Nyong’o though, as there were rumblings Marvel wanted to introduce X-Men Storm into the Black Panther franchise as T’Challa’s love interest, meaning her character would be reduced to the background.
Shipp isn’t expected to return as Storm for the MCU, so she’s open for Catwoman if she wanted to sign on for another comic role. I don’t know much about Browning or Mbatha-Raw to make a guess. Rihanna, who is also up for Poison Ivy, can be a decent actor, but I’d rather Reeves actually hire a legitimate actress for the part.
A lot of actresses have expressed interest in the part of Catwoman from Aubrey Plaza, Dakota Johnson, and Vanessa Hudgens to former Catwoman Michelle Pfeiffer publicly advocating for Elle Fanning. It’s safe to say that any actress in her 20s to 30s could be up for the role. Personally, I fancasted Vanessa Kirby.
Whoever is cast will join Robert Pattinson as Bruce Wayne/Batman, Jeffrey Wright as Commissioner Gordon, and Jonah Hill as either the Penguin or the Riddler.
Who would you like to see cast as Catwoman out of those six actresses? Why?
