Denise Di Novi, the producer of "Catwoman," revealed in an exclusive interview with Entertainment Weekly that the production of the controversial 2004 film faced significant challenges from Warner Bros. studios. Di Novi recounted the film's transition from a modest, budget-conscious origin story to a blockbuster superhero spectacle, propelled by the studio's ambitions. However, she also revealed that the production was hampered by plot notes laden with "sexism."
"It started as a modest tale, a low-budget origin story helmed by a French director and a fledgling star," Di Novi reminisced. "But when other projects fell through, Warner Bros. insisted it had to be a blockbuster superhero film, starring a major name."
Indeed, Halle Berry was cast in the lead role for this "Batman" spinoff, over a decade after Tim Burton's attempt to create a sequel with Michelle Pfeiffer in the forefront. However, Warner Bros. was adamant about keeping the Berry-led film separate from the Batman universe.
"There was a distinct sexism in their approach to detaching it from 'Batman,'" Di Novi lamented. "As a female protagonist, I fought for it to be a feminist narrative. But I believe the studio struggled to embrace it because it centered on a woman, without a male lead."
IndieWire sought comment from Warner Bros., but the studio remained silent. Screenwriter John Brancato echoed Di Novi's sentiments, describing the studio's intrusive involvement in the creative process.
"From the outset, we were handed a strict set of rules: No mention of Batman," Brancato recalled. "It was a corporate decision from Warner Bros. to distance this film from the Batman franchise. The executives held all the power. Jeff Robinov, then the head of motion pictures at Warner Bros., would rearrange our scripts, discarding ideas and elements that he deemed unfit. He discarded much of what I considered our best work, leaving us with a disjointed screenplay."
Later, Brancato delved into the intricacies of the tumultuous studio atmosphere, following a string of script revisions. "It was a bizarre journey," he recounted. "Striving to craft a coherent narrative with integrity seemed like a daunting task, given the unpredictable nature of the project. It felt like a runaway train, a chaotic machine spiraling out of control." A controversial aspect of the scripting, according to him, centered on the incorporation of Botox, a cutting-edge technology of the time. Berry's titular heroine was tasked with rescuing women from the perils of faulty injections, rather than confronting a menacing extraterrestrial foe.
"I've always found the concept of Catwoman saving women from a facial cream somewhat underwhelming," Berry confessed. "All other superheroes embark on adventures to safeguard the entire world; they don't merely rescue women from flawed complexions. I knew it was a rather tame superhero narrative, but in the early stages of my career, I lacked the autonomy and conviction to challenge it, so I acquiesced." The Academy Award winner further emphasized that Warner Bros. played a pivotal role in reinventing the Catwoman character.
"The intention was to break away from repetitive clichés and introduce something novel," Berry explained. "The beauty of this endeavor lay in its divergence from the 'Batman' universe. Historically, men have been the protagonists of mammoth franchises revolving around them. This presented an opportunity to be trailblazers, pushing the boundaries for women. Why shouldn't we have our own superhero film that revolves around us and our own unique world?"
