Zoe Kravitz Vs. Anne Hathaway: Here's Who Played The Better Catwoman

For as long as Batman has been fighting the criminals of Gotham, there has been the anti-heroine Catwoman, challenging his belief system. Where Batman is committed to fighting crime in a just way, Catwoman has a more complicated set of morals. First introduced in Batman #1, Catwoman aka Selina Kyle has remained a vital part of the comics and live-action adaptations (via Fandom). Though her backstory changes with the times, her relationship with Batman always remains the same.

There have been many iterations of the cat-burglarizing character, most notably in the Tim Burton films and the more recent Christopher Nolan trilogy. Anne Hathaway's Catwoman only appeared in "The Dark Knight Rises," first stealing from Bruce Wayne (Christian Bale) and later trying to escape the militarized zone that Gotham turned into. This is starkly different from Zoë Kravitz's interpretation in Matt Reeves' new film "The Batman." Both characters have their merits, but many may be wondering who played the better version of the iconic character.

There have been many live-action iterations of Catwoman before, and Zoë Kravitz depicts the iconic character in all her cat-burglarizing glory. When Batman (Robert Pattinson) first encounters Catwoman, he is floored to discover she has a double life just like him. And while there are many strengths to Kravitz's version, fans on Reddit all agree on one point.

"She felt like the Catwoman from the comics," posted u/igotl2k. In classic stories such as "Hush" and even in the DC animated "Harley Quinn" show, Catwoman is portrayed with a more streamlined and practical look. Not only is her look in "The Batman" in line with the comics, but so is her personality. "Definitely the closest to the comics," agreed u/atw1221, who also wrote: "In this very noir inspired film, she felt like a femme fatale for much of the runtime."

Catwoman is a foil for Batman, both using the disguise of a different type of nocturnal animal to accomplish their respective nighttime activities. But where Batman is looking to dispense justice to Gotham, Catwoman is more morally gray. In "The Batman," this dynamic is utilized well, as the two try to solve the central conspiracy. When working together at the Penguin's (Colin Farrell) club, Batman insists on following the clues leading to authority figures in Gotham, where Selina only wants to find out what happened to her friend. Though they have similar goals, Selina will do anything to make sure she meets her own endgame. 

Christopher Nolan's "Batman" trilogy was part of a large trend to make superhero films more gritty and realistic. Catwoman (Anne Hathaway) in "The Dark Knight Rises" is defined by being a loner. She navigates the underworld of Gotham by stealing and is only out for herself. Many fans on Reddit loved how Selina was a survivor.

"I think her performance is the most underrated in 'The Dark Knight trilogy,'" posted u/dmorley21. "There's a lot going on in 'TDKR,' but her first few scenes are absolutely electric. Her [abilities] to read situations and be whoever she needs to be on the drop of a dime are pretty cool." Selina was able to escape attention from authorities because of how convincing she was at assuming other identities. "Anne was great at playing coy, faking her way through everything, having her wall up. That defence is always up and i love how Bruce sees through it so easily (for the most part)," agreed u/phatboyart. 

Hathaway's Catwoman is a chameleon, hiding in plain sight as a maid at the Wayne Manor in order to steal from Bruce Wayne. She even aligns herself with Bane (Tom Hardy) in order to save herself. Though she betrays Bruce, she does what she does in order to save herself. Her character in "The Dark Knight Rises" is incredibly nuanced, demonstrating a complex female character that has layers. Extremely capable, she never has to depend on anyone but herself.

Both Zoë Kravitz and Anne Hathaway brought many important aspects to their characters. Hathaway played a complicated character who was grounded in the reality of her situation. But as well developed as she was, Hathaway's version was only a footnote in "The Dark Knight Rises." Christian Bale's Batman is the star of the show, and only needs her at key points in the story.

Kravitz's version of the character is the most representative of the subject material because of how integral she is to "The Batman." As Kravitz put it herself in a featurette promoting "The Batman," Selina Kyle is "more than just a sidekick." Catwoman is the second lead of the film, and she and Batman need each other equally in order to solve the mystery and get their own brands of justice. Though the two differ on what the meaning of justice actually is, they want the same thing for Gotham.

"The Batman" demonstrates the love story between the two characters better than any previous version. Batman and Catwoman long for each other but ultimately cannot be together because of their differing ideals. This version is the most like Catwoman in the comics, and it also pushes her to be a main character in her own right.