The return of Michael Keaton’s Batman in The Flash sparked hope for other characters from Tim Burton’s Batman universe to return to the big screen, especially Michelle Pfeiffer’s Catwoman, but the new DC Universe and Batman plans are putting an end to those hopes. The multiverse is a concept that is being used in the two biggest connected superhero universes in film and TV, and it has allowed them to bring back characters from past movies to either give them new adventures or bring closure to their stories.
Over at the DC Extended Universe, the multiverse made it possible for The Flash to feature two versions of Bruce Wayne/Batman: Ben Affleck and Michael Keaton. The latter’s story came to an abrupt end with Batman Returns in 1992, so The Flash is expected to at least mention what happened to this version of Bruce Wayne since then. The return of Keaton’s Batman also raised questions about the possible return of Michelle Pfeiffer’s Selina Kyle/Catwoman, but with the recent, massive changes at the DCEU and the rise of the DC Universe, it’s now highly unlikely that Pfeiffer’s Catwoman will return.
Michelle Pfeiffer Probably Won’t Return As Catwoman (Barring A Flash Cameo)
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In October 2022, James Gunn and Peter Safran were announced as the co-chairs and co-CEOS of the newly formed DC Studios, and they quickly began working on a ten-year plan for the DC Universe. On January 31, Gunn announced the first part of their plans for the DC Universe, covering movies and TV shows, and explained that the upcoming The Flash will reset the DC Universe. However, there are no plans for Keaton’s Batman after The Flash, meaning that Michelle Pfeiffer’s Catwoman return is even more unlikely now.
Instead, the DC Universe will have its own Batman movie titled The Brave and the Bold, which will follow Bruce Wayne and his son, Damian Wayne, who Bruce didn’t know existed and was raised in secret as an assassin. Although it’s still possible that The Flash could surprise the audience with a cameo of Pfeiffer’s Catwoman, she won’t have a future beyond that as, at least for now, there’s no space in the DC Universe for the characters from Tim Burton’s Batman universe.
What Happened To Michelle Pfeiffer’s Catwoman After Batman Returns
The last time the audience saw Pfeiffer’s Catwoman, she was believed to be dead after killing Max Shreck (Christopher Walken), but her remains were never found. Right at the end of Batman Returns, Catwoman’s silhouette was shown as she looked at the Bat-signal from afar, so it’s unclear if she ever reunited with Batman. The comic book Batman ‘89 offered an answer to what happened to Catwoman after Batman Returns, revealing that she continued working alone but reunited with Batman when she returned to Gotham to track down rich criminals. However, their relationship was quite tense, and after Harvey Dent’s death, she sent a letter to Barbara Gordon offering her partnership to incriminate Gotham’s power elite. Unless Michelle Pfeiffer’s Catwoman makes a proper return to the big screen, Batman ‘89 is the closest there is to a continuation of Batman Returns.