Tim Burton’s Catwoman Was B&W

Batman has been DC’s one of the most prized possessions, and Catwoman has always been one of the most loved parts of that world.

Daniel Waters, the screenwriter of “Batman Returns,” revealed clashing visions with Tim Burton for a Catwoman spinoff. Waters aimed for a satirical, “The Boys”-style comic genre take in Los Angeles’ Gotham City.

Meanwhile, Burton envisioned an $18 million black-and-white film, resembling “Cat People,” portraying Selina in a low-key small town. Waters’ script depicted a Gotham run by three superhero jerks, resembling “The Boys,” but Burton found it exhausting.

Daniel Waters consistently aimed for a darker, satirical tone in superhero movies. His original script included digs at the successful 1989 Burton ‘Batman’ film, labeling it as a merchandising juggernaut. The initial plan for “Batman Returns” involved opening on the Batman logo, revealing an in-universe merchandise store, with Batman criticizing exploitative merchandising.

However, Michael Keaton persuaded Waters to remove these references, and the film faced backlash for deviating from the traditional Catwoman and Penguin backstories.

An exciting opportunity missed indeed, at least for the fans. Catwoman has been the center of attention for many fans and for many years; even in the recent film, she has been the heartbeat.