WHAT WENT WRONG

Catwoman (with Ryan Bailey)

September 29, 2025

Key Takeaways Copied to clipboard!

  • The 2004 film *Catwoman* was developed through numerous scrapped scripts and creative directions, including a Burton/Waters version that resembled *The Boys* and a John Rogers draft that was a grounded revenge story, ultimately resulting in a film completely divorced from the established Batman universe due to contractual rights issues preventing the use of the name Selina Kyle. 
  • Halle Berry's decision to star in *Catwoman* is framed as a necessary financial move to cash in on her Oscar success from *Monster's Ball*, a decision she later satirized in her Razzie acceptance speech where she thanked Warner Brothers for putting her in a "piece of shit, god-awful movie." 
  • The character of Catwoman has a long history of being portrayed by older actresses (in their 30s and 40s) and Eartha Kitt's casting in the 1960s TV series was a significant, albeit potentially sanitized, moment for representation in mainstream media. 
  • Halle Berry's $12-14 million salary for *Catwoman* was a groundbreaking, yet costly, decision that ultimately placed the public blame for the film's failure disproportionately on her shoulders despite her lack of creative control. 
  • The production of *Catwoman* was plagued by constant script rewrites, studio interference, and regime changes at Warner Bros., leading to a disjointed final product that tried unsuccessfully to elevate a smaller-stakes character to a global superhero epic. 
  • The film's disastrous costume, which was revealed early due to on-location shooting, and the heavy reliance on then-nascent digital body double technology contributed significantly to the negative critical reception and the overall 'so bad it's good' status of *Catwoman*. 

Segments

Introduction and Guest Welcome
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(00:00:50)
  • Key Takeaway: Ryan Bailey, expert on ‘So Bad It’s Good with Ryan Bailey,’ joins hosts Chris Winnerbauer and Lizzie Bassett to analyze the cinematic failure Catwoman.
  • Summary: The episode of WHAT WENT WRONG, titled ‘Catwoman (with Ryan Bailey),’ welcomes guest Ryan Bailey. The hosts immediately reference Halle Berry’s polarizing performance and the film’s status as a ‘so bad it’s good’ classic. Bailey is praised for his detailed knowledge of reality TV and movies, making him an ideal guest for this topic.
Initial Reactions to Catwoman
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(00:03:50)
  • Key Takeaway: The film Catwoman is immediately recognized by the panel for paying zero attention to the established comic book character or franchise lore.
  • Summary: Lizzie Bassett, watching for the first time, found the movie insane and loved it, contrasting with Ryan Bailey’s initial disappointment as a Batman fan. Bailey noted that revisiting the film was more enjoyable in an ‘LOL sort of a way’ after divorcing himself from the initial hurt feelings about the property’s ruin. The discussion highlights the film’s bizarre elements, such as Halle Berry purring while rubbing catnip on her face.
Michelle Pfeiffer’s Legacy
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(00:04:09)
  • Key Takeaway: Michelle Pfeiffer’s portrayal in Batman Returns remains the definitive Catwoman for many fans, and her performance style was rooted in Tim Burton’s heightened aesthetic.
  • Summary: Ryan Bailey cites Michelle Pfeiffer as his Catwoman, leading him to watch other Pfeiffer films as a child. The hosts agree that Pfeiffer’s performance was campy but in a style consistent with Burton’s established world. There is a shared sentiment that a solo movie starring Pfeiffer was a missed opportunity, with a suggestion to incorporate her into James Gunn’s universe.
Film Credits and Production Details
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(00:10:21)
  • Key Takeaway: The final film’s confused tone is attributed to an excessive number of writers, with John Rogers, John Broncado, and Michael Ferris receiving screenplay credit, while Teresa Rebeck and others contributed to the story.
  • Summary: The film was directed by the single-name director Pitoff and released in 2004, starring Halle Berry as Patience Phillips/Catwoman and Sharon Stone as Laurel Hedair. The music was composed by Klaus Badelt, who also worked on Pirates of the Caribbean. The hosts note that the film’s execution is extremely bungled, which is typical when many writers are involved.
Halle Berry’s Razzie Acceptance
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(00:13:37)
  • Key Takeaway: Halle Berry attended the 2005 Razzies to accept Worst Actress for Catwoman, delivering a sarcastic speech where she thanked Warner Brothers for putting her in a “piece of shit, god-awful movie.”
  • Summary: The film swept the Razzies, winning Worst Picture, Screenplay, and Director, though those responsible did not attend. Berry, carrying her Monster’s Ball Oscar onto the stage, sarcastically thanked the studio and her co-stars, including Alex Borstein for lying to her face about her performance. This event highlights the massive career drop from winning an Oscar to receiving a Razzie.
Early Comic Origins
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(00:17:44)
  • Key Takeaway: Catwoman was created by Bill Finger and Bob Kane in 1940 as a ‘friendly foe’ and romantic interest for Batman, initially appearing as a jewel thief who was not inherently evil.
  • Summary: Her first appearance in Batman #1 featured her as an elderly woman hiding a stolen necklace, quickly revealed to be a younger woman with nice legs. Her original weapon was the Cato Nine Tails Whip, a naval flogging tool, appearing seven years after her debut. The character was removed from comics in 1954 due to moral panic surrounding her sexuality, as detailed by psychiatrist Frederick Wertham in Seduction of the Innocent.
Batman Returns and Pfeiffer
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(00:27:03)
  • Key Takeaway: Tim Burton’s Batman Returns (1992) featured Michelle Pfeiffer’s critically acclaimed Catwoman, whose popularity led to studio interest in a solo film, despite the movie’s dark tone causing box office legs to drop quickly.
  • Summary: Pfeiffer replaced Annette Benning last minute and proved capable by decapitating mannequins with her whip during training. The film’s dark nature, including the Penguin’s bile, upset McDonald’s promotional tie-ins, leading to a steep drop-off in ticket sales after a record opening weekend. Burton and writer Dan Waters’ subsequent Catwoman script, which involved a revolution led by women in Catwoman costumes, was shelved by the studio.
Development Hell and Rights Issues
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(00:38:14)
  • Key Takeaway: Contractual stipulations from Batman Returns prevented the Catwoman film from using the name Selina Kyle unless Michelle Pfeiffer was hired, forcing subsequent writers to create an entirely new identity for Halle Berry’s character.
  • Summary: John August pitched a sequel with Pfeiffer in 1998, but the studio executive insisted on Sarah Michelle Gellar and a hair-washing scene before showing him The Matrix trailer. The writers hired for the final film, Broncado and Ferris, were explicitly forbidden from mentioning Batman. The final version features Patience Phillips being resurrected by a ‘Mystic Feline Gang’ (cats) after being murdered over a cosmetics company conspiracy.
VFX and Digital Doubles
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(01:14:23)
  • Key Takeaway: The heavy use of digital body double replacement technology in Catwoman, inspired by The Matrix Reloaded, resulted in physics-defying, rubbery movement that fell into the Uncanny Valley.
  • Summary: The VFX team, ESC, utilized technology similar to that in The Matrix Reloaded to create digital body doubles for Catwoman during fight scenes. This resulted in the character’s body appearing rubbery and flubber-like when motion was applied, despite still shots looking photorealistic. The movement was sometimes compared to Lara Croft’s acrobatic style, but the execution was sloppy.
Post-Production Rush and Reshoots
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(01:16:15)
  • Key Takeaway: Warner Bros. aggressively pulled the release date of Catwoman forward from 2005 to 2004, jamming post-production and forcing a 10-day reshoot, including a new ending, just one month before release.
  • Summary: The accelerated release schedule meant the visual effects were not ready for the planned IMAX release, and the film was put together hastily after extensive on-set rewriting. The final editing process involved inverting and moving scenes around due to the chaotic production. The original ending involved Catwoman and Tom living happily ever after, which was scrapped during the late reshoots.
Box Office and Critical Failure
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(01:18:00)
  • Key Takeaway: Catwoman grossed only $82.4 million worldwide against a reported $100 million budget, leading critics to use numerous cat-related puns while harshly criticizing the direction and story structure.
  • Summary: The film failed financially, earning less than its production cost globally, and its IMAX release was canceled due to VFX delays. Critics like Roger Ebert placed it on his most hated list, often focusing blame on Halle Berry for overacting, despite the script’s fundamental flaws. One review noted the film’s ambition for female empowerment was ‘declawed’ by its execution.
Halle Berry’s Aftermath and Ownership
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(01:20:56)
  • Key Takeaway: Halle Berry took the brunt of the public criticism for Catwoman, but her courageous decision to own the Razzie and refuse to throw the production under the bus is viewed as admirable and key to her subsequent career rebound.
  • Summary: Despite having the least control over the story, Berry was consistently framed as the face of the failure, which the hosts found disappointing, especially given her Oscar win. Berry stated she carried the failure for years but ultimately loved the experience and accepted the Razzie, demonstrating courage by not casting blame elsewhere. This ownership is seen as a crucial part of her post-Catwoman success.
What Went Right Segment
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(01:28:02)
  • Key Takeaway: Halle Berry’s committed performance and her admirable handling of the film’s failure are cited as the primary positive elements, while Ryan Bailey noted the film’s failure provided a necessary roadmap for Warner Bros. to course-correct toward the serious tone of Batman Begins.
  • Summary: Lizzie chose Halle Berry for her full commitment and ownership of the aftermath, while Ryan chose the film’s failure as a catalyst that potentially steered Warner Bros. toward the more grounded direction of Christopher Nolan’s Batman films. Sharon Stone’s commanding visual presence as the villainess was also highlighted as a positive element that deserved better material.