If you close your eyes and picture the neon-soaked, 1990s Gotham City, you probably see her. The blonde hair, the floor-length trench coat, and that undeniable "femme fatale" energy. For a lot of people, there is a weird, lingering Mandela Effect happening where they remember Nicole Kidman as Catwoman.
But she wasn't. Honestly, it’s one of the most common mix-ups in superhero movie history.
In the 1995 blockbuster Batman Forever, Nicole Kidman played Dr. Chase Meridian, a criminal psychologist with a serious fixation on the Caped Crusader. She wasn't Selina Kyle. She didn't have a whip. She didn't wear a cowl. Yet, if you search the internet today, you’ll find endless fan art, "what-if" casting threads, and confused tweets insisting she took over the claws after Michelle Pfeiffer.
The truth is actually a lot more interesting than just a memory lapse. It’s a story of "almosts," studio politics, and a performance so "feline" that it basically rewrote the rules for how Batman love interests were supposed to act.
The Origin of the Nicole Kidman Catwoman Confusion
So, why do we keep thinking she was the cat? Basically, it’s a mix of timing and vibes.
Nicole Kidman stepped into the franchise right after Michelle Pfeiffer delivered arguably the most iconic performance of Catwoman in 1992’s Batman Returns. When Tim Burton left the director's chair and Joel Schumacher took over for the third film, the studio wanted a "lighter" tone. They didn't want the dark, messy, leather-clad trauma of Pfeiffer’s Selina.
They wanted glamour.
Kidman brought that in spades. Her character, Chase Meridian, was written with a specific type of "carnivorous" sexuality that felt very similar to a cat-and-mouse game. In her first meeting with Batman on a rooftop—while wearing a silk slip dress, no less—she literally uses the Bat-Signal to call him for a date.
"It's the car, right? Kids love the car."
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That line? Pure Kidman. She played the role with a purr. She was seductive, dangerous in an intellectual way, and she possessed an aggressive agency that usually belonged to the villains. It’s no wonder people’s brains just filled in the blanks and gave her a tail.
The "Catwoman" Movie That Almost Happened
There is a factual grain of truth to the rumors. Around 2003, after Ashley Judd dropped out of a planned standalone film, Nicole Kidman was briefly considered for the role of Catwoman in what eventually became the Halle Berry disaster.
Warner Bros. was desperate. They had been trying to get a Catwoman spin-off off the ground since 1993. Kidman was at the peak of her "movie star" powers after Moulin Rouge! and The Others. But she didn't take it. Instead, we got the 2004 movie with the CGI cats and the basketball scene. You know the one. Probably for the best, right?
Nicole Kidman vs. Michelle Pfeiffer: Different Eras of Gotham
To understand why the Nicole Kidman Catwoman myth persists, you have to look at the visual language of the 90s.
Michelle Pfeiffer’s Catwoman was DIY. She was a stitched-together manifestation of a mental breakdown. She was messy, frightening, and tragic. Kidman’s presence in Batman Forever was the exact opposite. She was polished. She was the "Hitchcock Blonde" in a world of neon lights.
But look at the parallels:
- The Rooftop Meetings: Both characters only seem to interact with Batman under the moonlight on cold Gotham ledges.
- The "Wrong" Kind of Love: Both women are explicitly attracted to the mask, not the man. Chase Meridian actually tells Bruce Wayne she’s in love with Batman, which is a classic Selina Kyle trope.
- The Wardrobe: While she wasn't in spandex, Kidman’s wardrobe in Batman Forever—designed by Ingrid Ferrin—featured heavy blacks, silks, and silhouettes that mirrored the sleekness of a cat.
Why Chase Meridian Was Basically Catwoman Lite
If you rewatch Batman Forever today, Chase Meridian feels like a "safe" version of Catwoman. The writers, Lee and Janet Scott-Batchler, originally wanted a character who could challenge Bruce’s mind. But as the script went through rewrites (mostly by Akiva Goldsman), she became much more of a "siren."
She’s a doctor, sure. But she spends half the movie trying to "get under the cape." This hyper-sexualized, aggressive pursuit of Batman was something audiences hadn't seen from a "good girl" love interest like Vicki Vale. It was a "Catwoman" trait. By giving those traits to a psychologist, the movie blurred the lines.
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The Casting What-Ifs: Who Else Was in the Running?
The 90s were a wild time for DC casting. Before Kidman landed the role of Chase, the part was actually meant for Rene Russo. But when Michael Keaton left and Val Kilmer (who was younger) came on board, the studio felt Russo was "too old" for him.
Imagine that.
Kidman got the part, and her chemistry with Kilmer—or lack thereof, depending on who you ask—became the stuff of legend. But the "Nicole Kidman Catwoman" idea wasn't the only one floating around. During that era, several other A-listers were almost suited up:
- Annette Bening: She was actually cast as Catwoman in 1992 but had to drop out because she got pregnant.
- Sean Young: Famous for showing up to the studio in a homemade cat suit to "demand" the role.
- Ashley Judd: Was the face of the solo movie for nearly three years before it fell apart.
Kidman’s name was always in that mix because, well, she looks like she was drawn by a comic book artist. She has the height, the gaze, and the ability to play "unhinged" with a smile.
Fact-Checking the "Kidman Catwoman" Rumors
Let’s get the record straight once and for all.
Did Nicole Kidman ever wear the Catwoman suit?
No. Not for a movie, not for a screen test that has ever surfaced, and not for a photoshoot. Any image you see of her in the black leather mask is a Deepfake or very high-quality Photoshop.
Did she play Selina Kyle?
No. She played Dr. Chase Meridian. However, in an early draft of the script, there was a brief mention of the "events in Gotham two years ago" (referring to Catwoman and Penguin), which technically links Kidman's character to the world Pfeiffer inhabited.
Was she considered for the 2004 film?
Yes. She was on the short list along with Michelle Rodriguez and Halle Berry. She declined.
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The Legacy of the "Catwoman" We Never Got
Even though she never put on the ears, Kidman’s influence on the "vibe" of DC leading ladies is massive. She proved that you didn't need to be a villain to be the most dangerous person in the room.
In Batman Forever, she holds her own against Jim Carrey’s Riddler and Tommy Lee Jones’ Two-Face. She isn't just a damsel; she’s an expert in the very thing that makes the villains tick. That intellectual edge is something we later saw in Anne Hathaway’s Catwoman—a woman who is always the smartest person in the room.
If you’re a fan of the "what if" side of cinema, Kidman as Catwoman remains the ultimate "Lost Project." We saw her play a different kind of queen later in Aquaman (Queen Atlanna), where she finally got to do some high-flying stunt work. But for the 90s kids, she will always be the woman who purred at Batman on a rainy roof, leaving us all wondering why she didn't just take the role and run with it.
What to Do If You're Still Confused
Honestly, the best way to settle this is to go back and watch Batman Forever. Look past the Bat-nipples and the neon green lights. Watch Kidman's performance. You'll see exactly why everyone remembers her as the cat. She didn't need the costume to be feline.
If you're looking for more real history on the Catwoman character, check out the 1966 Batman series featuring Julie Newmar. That’s where the "playful but lethal" DNA Kidman channeled actually started.
Actionable Insights for Movie Buffs:
- Verify the Credits: When in doubt, IMDB is your friend. It confirms Kidman has exactly one credit in the Joel Schumacher Batman era.
- Context Matters: Remember that Batman Forever (1995) and Batman & Robin (1997) are a distinct "sub-universe" from the Tim Burton films, even though they are technically sequels.
- Explore the "Almost" Castings: Searching for "Unproduced Catwoman 1994" will give you a glimpse into the Daniel Waters script that Kidman almost starred in.
Next time someone tells you they loved Nicole Kidman as Catwoman, you can politely tell them they're thinking of a doctor—but one who definitely had the claws to pull it off.