The role of Selina Kyle in 1992's Batman Returns was not always guaranteed for Michelle Pfeiffer. Before she slipped into the iconic stitched leather suit, Warner Bros. and director Tim Burton nearly cast Annette Bening, only for a last-minute pregnancy to upend production and alter comic book movie history forever.
This casting shift changed more than just a single credit. It defined the dark, psychological tone of a blockbuster sequel and created a cinematic anti-hero that still sets the standard for comic book adaptations. Let's look at how the near-miss unfolded, why Bening stepped away, and how Pfeiffer turned a troubled casting cycle into an immortal performance.
The Original Plan: Annette Bening as Catwoman
Back in the early planning stages for the Batman (1989) follow-up, Tim Burton and screenwriter Daniel Waters approached Gotham City's underworld through a deeply cynical, subversive lens. They didn't want a traditional comic book villain. They wanted a tragic, unhinged corporate secretary who snaps and reinvents herself as a leather-clad force of vengeance.
Annette Bening was Burton's initial choice for the part. Fresh off her breakout, critically acclaimed performance in The Grifters (1990), Bening had the exact sharp wit, classic Hollywood glamour, and dramatic chops the director wanted. She signed the contract, went through costume fittings, and prepared to film.
Everything changed when Bening discovered she was pregnant with her first child with Warren Beatty. Because the physical demands of the role—stunt work, whip-training, and tight latex suits—made filming impossible, she had to drop out just weeks before principal photography began. Warner Bros. panicked. Production was already greenlit, sets were built on the Warner Bros. lot, and the studio had no leading lady.
Enter Michelle Pfeiffer: The High-Stakes Pivot
With Bening out, Burton immediately thought of Michelle Pfeiffer. But landing her wasn't simple. Pfeiffer was already a massive box-office draw following The Fabulous Baker Boys and Dangerous Liaisons, and she wasn't actively looking to jump into a grueling superhero sequel.
Her agent used the studio's desperate situation as leverage. Warner Bros. had to meet her demands regarding salary and scheduling to secure her signature. Once she signed on, Pfeiffer approached the role with total psychological and physical commitment.
She didn't just memorize lines. She hired a professional whip-cracker to train for hours every day, worked with a kickboxing instructor, and spent months mastering the fluid, predatory movements of a cat. During filming, she even put a live bird inside her mouth for a terrifying unedited shot with Danny DeVito's Penguin, proving her dedication to the role's erratic, feral energy.
Shaping the Character: Script Rewrites and On-Set Collaboration
The script underwent significant adjustments to match Pfeiffer's specific energy. While Daniel Waters wrote Selina Kyle as a downtrodden secretary pushed to the edge, Pfeiffer injected a desperate, tragic vulnerability into the character that wasn't entirely on the page.
- The Voice and Tone: Pfeiffer's breathy, erratic vocal delivery captured a woman fracturing under the weight of societal expectations.
- The Costume Design: Bob Ringwood designed the legendary stitched leather suit, but Pfeiffer insisted on the zipper pulls and jagged edges to reflect Selina's self-made, chaotic mental state.
- The Iconic Line: Her delivery of "I just want to know what it's like to be loved for myself" shifted the character from a simple femme fatale to a tragic figure audiences genuinely pitied and rooted for.
Common Misconceptions About the Casting Process
Movie trivia often distorts the timeline of 1990s Hollywood casting. A few persistent myths surround this production that deserve correction.
- Myth: Sigourney Weaver or Madonna were the actual runners-up behind Pfeiffer.
- Fact: While pop culture lore loves to link Madonna to the role due to her pop stardom at the time, Annette Bening was the only actress officially cast before Pfeiffer. Other names like Cher were casually discussed in early trade gossip, but never made it past informal studio pitch meetings.
- Myth: Pfeiffer immediately jumped at the chance to play the villain.
- Fact: Pfeiffer initially turned down early informal inquiries for the first Batman film and was hesitant about superhero movies altogether, fearing they reduced women to flat eye candy. It took Burton's distinct gothic vision to convince her.
The Cultural Legacy of a Near-Miss
It's fascinating to imagine Batman Returns with Annette Bening. Bening is a phenomenal, chameleon-like actress, and her version of Selina Kyle would likely have been cooler, sharper, and more grounded in classic noir sensibilities.
Instead, audiences got Pfeiffer's operatic, unhinged, and fiercely independent icon. Her performance heavily influenced every subsequent iteration of the character, from animated series to Halle Berry's 2004 film and Zoë Kravitz's grounded thief in The Batman (2022).
By turning a major production crisis into an opportunity, Warner Bros. accidentally captured lightning in a bottle. The casting near-miss remains one of Hollywood's most fortunate accidents.
Frequently Asked Questions
Did Annette Bening film any scenes as Catwoman?
No. While Bening was officially cast and completed early costume fittings, she withdrew from the project before cameras started rolling, meaning no footage of her in the costume exists publicly.
How did Michelle Pfeiffer learn to use the bullwhip?
Pfeiffer trained with professional whip artist Clayton English for several weeks prior to filming. She performed the vast majority of her own whip stunts on set, including the famous department store scene where she slices the mannequins.
Why was Tim Burton's Catwoman so different from the comics?
Burton and screenwriter Daniel Waters wanted to subvert the traditional comic book trope of the wealthy cat burglar. They reimagined Selina Kyle as an abused, overworked secretary to anchor the film's themes of corporate corruption and urban alienation.
Did Michelle Pfeiffer return for a sequel?
No. Following the mixed box-office and parental backlash over the dark, violent tone of Batman Returns, Warner Bros. pivoted away from Burton. Joel Schumacher took over the franchise for Batman Forever, completely rebooting the tone and casting Nicole Kidman and later Chris O'Donnell, leaving Pfeiffer's Catwoman as a standalone masterpiece.
