With Catwoman rumored to be making an appearance in Robert Pattinson’s upcoming Batman movie, we take a look at who could play Selina Kyle. With the former Twilight star now confirmed as DC’s newest Bruce Wayne, speculation as been rife as to which of Gotham City’s finest villains Batman will face off against in the upcoming movie. Director Matt Reeves has been teasing fans online with possible adversaries for The Batman, including the DC universe’s most iconic cat burglar.

Selina Kyle’s evolution throughout the comics has proven to be one of the Batman canon’s most intriguing narratives, and it’s one that’s been just as fascinating to watch on the big and small screen: From Julie Newmar and Eartha Kitt in the 1960s Adam West series, to Michelle Pfeiffer’s gothic vamp in Batman Returns, to the cringe-inducing camp of Halle Berry’s solo movie, and Anne Hathaway’s sinfully underrated conflicted criminal in The Dark Knight Rises. It’s no wonder fans are hoping to see her return in a new Batman movie, especially following recent developments in the comics, where Bruce and Selina finally tied the knot.

Pattinson’s Batman will reportedly face off against a veritable rogues gallery of villains, akin to comics like The Long Halloween and in keeping with Reeves’ desire to make a noir-style story. The options are certainly plentiful, and the role of Catwoman will undoubtedly be much sought after in Hollywood - but who to cast? The new Selina will probably need to be in line with Pattinson’s age, meaning someone in their late 20s to early 30s, and they’ll require both the necessary physicality of an acrobatic cat burglar and the sardonic but vampish allure that makes Selina so appealing. With that in mind, we have a few casting suggestions for the new Catwoman.

Ruth Negga

Irish actress Ruth Negga has spent the past decade of so building up a reputation as one of the most underrated actresses working. Ruth Negga may be familiar to viewers from any number of shows and movies, including the big-budget adaptation of Warcraft, the British drama Misfits, and Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. After landing an Oscar nomination for her quietly devastating work in the historical drama Loving, Negga made a complete 180 turn and took on the role of Tulip O’Hare in AMC’s adaptation of Preacher, where she steals almost every scene from her equally impressive co-stars. It’s her work as Tulip that makes her more than ready for Catwoman. She can bring the pathos while still beating the living daylights out of a baddie with a knowing smirk on her face.

Zoë Kravitz

It seems somewhat surprising that Zoë Kravitz has not been snapped up by another major superhero franchise since her small part as Angel Salvadore/Tempest in 2011’s X-Men: First Class (unless you count a small voice role in Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse). She’s been a quietly alluring scene-stealer in many a movie, from Mad Max: Fury Road to the Fantastic Beasts movie, but is so often denied a truly meaty role deserving of her skills. Kravitz is able to be both warm and abrasive in a manner that feels so very Selina.

Jodie Comer

British actress Jodie Comer exploded into the mainstream through her BAFTA-winning work as psychopathic assassin Villanelle on BBC America’s Killing Eve. Her astoundingly charismatic performance as a cold-hearted killer who becomes obsessed with the MI6 agent hired to pursue her has won her plenty of fans. Comer is at her best when she revels in the ambiguity and unnerving charm of Villanelle, a woman who can be both hyper-intelligent and petulant like a toddler. It’d a truly chameleonic turn, and it’s not hard to see why she would be such a good Catwoman. Comer would relish the chance to toy with Pattinson’s Bruce in the way she plays cat and mouse with Eve Polastri.

Sofia Boutella

After getting her start as a dancer (see if you can find her in the video for the Madonna song “Sorry”), the French-Algerian actress Sofia Boutella broke out in Hollywood with scene-stealing work in Kingsman: The Secret Service and Star Trek Beyond. The much-hyped Dark Universe launch was in part built around her eponymous role in 2017’s The Mummy, but that went nowhere. It’s a shame that Boutella’s impressive physicality hasn’t been fully utilized by Hollywood (although the ever divisive French director Gaspar Noé did let her shine in his typically mind-melting way with Climax). In many ways, she’s perfect for Selina, no training required.

Vanessa Kirby

According to recent rumors floating around the internet, Warner Bros. is keen on The Crown and Mission: Impossible – Fallout star Vanessa Kirby’s chances as Selina. While nothing has been remotely confirmed about this gossip, it’s also easy to see why such a story would take root and have so many fans intrigued by the possibilities. Kirby certainly has the dramatic chops to do the role justice, as evidenced by her Emmy-nominated work as Princess Margaret in Netflix’s The Crown, plus countless acclaimed performances on the West End. Recently, she’s found an interesting niche as the vamp of big action movies, a woman not to be underestimated, which feels very in line with Catwoman. She’ll next be seen in Hobbs & Shaw so whatever the case, the future is bright for her, but will it contain a trip to Gotham?

Rebecca Ferguson

In the aftermath of her wonderful work in the Mission: Impossible series, the idea of casting Swedish actress Rebecca Ferguson as Selina almost feels too obvious. Who could say no to her steely edge, her obviously proficient physicality, and her ability to keep up with the biggest movie-star on the planet? But just because she’s too obvious a choice, that doesn’t mean she isn’t also the perfect casting. The best scenes of Bruce and Selina in the comics come with that physical and mental back-and-forth, that chemistry that melds lust with aggression. If Rebecca Ferguson can make that work with Tom Cruise, she can make it work with anyone.

Olivia Wilde

She may have made the successful jump to directing with her critically adored debut Booksmart, but that shouldn’t overlook Olivia Wilde’s charm and warmth as an actress. Easily the best thing in the middling Tron: Legacy, a role that let her show off her action leading lady chops, Wilde has been a welcome presence in many a film and TV series. She can have chemistry with seemingly anybody and bring a knowing comedic edge to some of Selina’s more camp aspects. She hasn’t given up acting in favor of the director’s chair so this is a casting option we hope is still on the table.

Claire Foy

Vanessa Kirby’s co-star in The Crown has already had an opportunity to show off her leading action woman muscle, after taking on the much-hyped role of Lisbeth Salander in Sony’s under-performing thriller The Girl in the Spider’s Web. While that movie didn’t exactly inspire the same level of critical acclaim David Fincher’s take on the series did, Claire Foy more than proved herself capable of shedding her well-refined image in favor of something more rough and tumble. Foy’s work as a dramatic actress is well documented – from The Crown to First Man to Unsane – and that would serve her well if she were to play Selina. She could easily hold her own against Pattinson!

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