Michelle Pfeiffer's appearance as Catwoman in Batman Returns inspired screenwriter Daniel Waters to begin work on a Catwoman spinoff film that, unfortunately, never got made. Tim Burton's two Batman films Batman and Batman Returns were successful at the box office, but their dark tone was controversial as some felt that Burton's films pushed the limits of their PG-13 ratings. Disappointed by Batman Returns' box office, and concerned about the franchise's tone going forward, Warner Bros. handed control to Joel Schumacher; hoping he would steer the Batman franchise back into more family-friendly territory.
In Batman Returns, Selina Kyle survives a deadly fall and becomes the master thief Catwoman. Leading a double life, Selina dates Bruce Wayne (Micheal Keaton) while Catwoman partners with the Penguin (Danny DeVito) to take down Batman. In the film's finale, Catwoman is seemingly killed in an explosion but, with no corpse to identify, Batman wonders if Catwoman/Selina Kyle survived. While Warner Bros. was disappointed in Burton's approach to Batman, they were happy with Michelle Pfeiffer's Catwoman and, according to Waters (via Bloody Disgusting), the studio "divorced Tim Burton and gave him Catwoman in the settlement."
This eventually led to a Catwoman spinoff being put into development, but, ultimately, it never came to fruition. Michelle Pfeiffer's Catwoman spinoff never even got beyond the first draft, despite Waters and Pfeiffer both being on board. Tim Burton had moved on from the world of DC Comics and, without him directing, Warner Bros. wasn't interested. The character would eventually headline her own film, played by Halle Berry, but 2004's Catwoman would go down as one of the worst films in the superhero genre. With Catwoman having been revived in more recent Batman movies, there may one day be renewed interest for the antiheroine to get her own spinoff movie, or even a series. Still, it would have been interesting to see Daniel Waters' version.
What We Know About The Canceled Catwoman Spinoff Series
Daniel Waters' canceled Catwoman script, dated 1995, is set in the artificially bright city of Oasisburg and was to star Michelle Pfeiffer as Selina Kyle. After a bout of amnesia following the events of Batman Returns, she vows to take down a group of ruthless conmen called the Cult of Good, which is masquerading as a team of superheroes. Oasisburg is a tourist destination full of gullible guests "protected" by this not-so-super superhero team made up of the "toll-booth-size" Mammoth; the "lithe and limber" Spooky; the irresistible Adonis; the "raucously cocky" Cactus; and their leader, Captain God. Like Homelander and The Seven from The Boys the Cult of Good care more about merchandise and public perception than they do about stopping crime.
Selina realizes she is the only one who can stop the Cult of Good and, after making a mockery of the team, Catwoman cracks the illusion of perfection the Cult has cast over Oasisburg, inspiring an army of Catwomen to run riot through the city. There are Catwomen "of every shape, size, color - High fashion, low fashion, no fashion. Some even have tails." The scene is a concoction of cartoon violence and dark commentary as the Catwomen enact revenge on their oppressors. At one point in the film, a fight between Catwoman and Spooky (who Waters hoped would be played by Michelle Yeoh) triggers those around them to explode into a "multi-layered, full throttle cat fight" unlike anything else seen in Tim Burton's canceled DC universe.
As Catwoman takes out the Cult of Good, Selina Kyle is stuck in a love triangle between the wealthy architect (and Bruce Wayne parody) Brock Leviathan and a successful investigative reporter Lewis Lane. Scenes involving Selina and the two men are fun and tense as she tries to work out which of her love interests is also her nemesis Captain God's civilian alter-ego. In the finale, Catwoman must free a group of civilians trapped inside a casino that is rigged to explode. Sadly, Batman Returns is the only time audiences have gotten to see Michelle Pfeiffer in the claws.