One Major Villain May Be Absent From Ben Affleck’s Batman Movie — And Here’s Why
This year has been a huge year for superhero movies, both in cinematic and breaking news reveals, but one of the most interesting revelations has come in the announcement of a Ben Affleck-directed Batman movie. Following up on the mixed success of Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, and with Justice League igniting the DC touchpaper once again, the Oscar-winning director will have his chance to bring Batman to the big screen. Dates, characters, and cast members are yet to be revealed, but the film is fast becoming one of the most anticipated comic book movies of all time.
Rumors to do with the project are just that at present; rumors, but that hasn’t stopped people from scooping and breaking news in relation to the movie. With whispers that the film may be based within Arkham Asylum and feature several iconic Batman villains — as revealed by Cinema Blend — fans are already licking their lips at the potential of the project. Affleck’s debut turn as Batman has already been hailed as a master stroke by some fans and they can’t wait to see his return as the Caped Crusader. However, he might be doing so without one of his more infamous cohorts.
Fandango’s Erik Davis revealed on his Twitter account that Sienna Miller admitted that she wants to take on the role of Selina Kyle AKA Catwoman. However, according to the English actress, the character isn’t currently in the script and she wants to write the part herself. He posted the following.
Sienna Miller told me tonight that she wants to play Catwoman in Affleck's Batman movie. "She's not in the script but I wanna write her in!"
— Erik Davis (@ErikDavis) November 19, 2016
Whether Miller has actually discussed the script with Affleck — they co-starred in Live By Night together — or is just confessing her desire for the role, no one knows. Its a bit of a surprise to learn that Selina Kyle will not feature in the movie — although nothing has been confirmed yet — because Catwoman is an integral part of Batman’s universe. She has featured in multiple movies and has a close connection to Bruce Wayne in several story arcs. They also share a romantic relationship, and often find themselves on the same side.
It’s this relationship that makes Catwoman so key to any Batman story, but it might also be the reason for her omittance. She’s shared the screen with two different Batmans in the past — both with Michael Keaton and Christian Bale — and initial details indicate that Affleck might want to introduce some lesser known characters to the DCEU. Michelle Pfeiffer and Anne Hathaway both provided stellar performances at Catwoman, so giving the slot to a different character seems like a sensible idea. With Catwoman currently undergoing an origin story in Gotham on TV, it might be a good idea to steer clear of this beloved character — for now, anyway.
Also, Sienna Miller isn’t involved in the development of the movie, so her comments can be taken with a pinch of salt. Ben Affleck has said nothing on the situation himself and is likely to remain quiet on the topic since he’s hard at work as director/actor/writer of the solo Batman movie. The cast is slim thus far; the only confirmed character we know of is Deathstroke, which was revealed a few months ago, so where more announcements will be made in due course, they will be done so without any shadows or riddles muddying the waters.
With lesser known villains popping up in the Batman movie, and the DCEU expanding, don’t count out another Catwoman appearance. She may have been omitted from this entry, but she has plenty of other opportunities. The Harley Quinn spin-off is in the works — a film that is rumored to feature several high profile female characters — and there’s always the chance for another solo movie. However, you shouldn’t write Selina Kyle off; she’s an integral part of the DC universe. Whether she appears in the solo Batman movie or not, it’s only a matter of time until she returns to the big screen.
[Featured Image by Warner Bros. Pictures]
