Halle Berry Has Surprising Thoughts on Remaking ‘Catwoman’

Halle Berry stunned in her costume from the 2004 action-film Catwoman in her skin-clad leather and latex pants, midriff top, mask, and accompanying whip. The film stars Berry in the lead role as Patience Phillips, a designer who uncovers a conspiracy within the cosmetics company she works for. She learns of a dangerous product that could cause health problems. After the culprits murder her, she is revived by Egyptian cats that grant her superhuman cat-like abilities. The film became the highest-grossing female-led superhero film until Wonder Woman in 2017. Now, Berry wants another shot at the film, but in a reimaged storyline.

“I would love to direct Catwoman,” she revealed in a recent interview with Jake’s Takes. “If I can get a hold of that now, knowing what I know, having this experience and reimagine that world the way I reimagined this story. Bruise was written for a white Irish catholic, like 25-year-old girl. I got to reimagine it. I wish I could go back and reimagine Catwoman and have a re-do on that.”

She continued: “I would have Catwoman saving the world like most male superheroes do, and not just saving women from their faces cracking off. You know, I would make the stakes a lot higher. I think make it more inclusive of both men and women.”

This isn’t the first time Berry has spoken about a possible remake. “The story didn’t feel quite right,” Berry once told Variety. “I remember having that argument: ‘Why can’t Catwoman save the world like Batman and Superman do? Why is she just saving women from a face cream that cracks their face off?’ But I was just the actor for hire. I wasn’t the director. I had very little say over that.”

Catwoman is considered a commercial and critical failure. It lost profit, grossing just over $80 million on a $100 million budget. The film received seven Golden Raspberry Award nominations and won in the categories of Worst Picture, Worst Actress, Worst Director and Worst Screenplay.