- "Batman: The Definitive History of the Dark Knight in Comics, Film, and Beyond" is available Tuesday to celebrate the Dark Knight's 80th anniversary.
- Insight Editions provided Insider with an exclusive spread from the book on Catwoman's casting in "Batman Returns."
- Before Michelle Pfeiffer landed the coveted role, Annette Bening was set to star as Selina Kyle before she dropped out.
- According to producer Denise Di Novi, the crew was in a bit of "a panic" because the costume was fitted for Bening right before filming was to begin.
- Visit Insider's homepage for more stories.
Michelle Pfeiffer is known for playing Catwoman in 1992's "Batman Returns," but that nearly wasn't the case.
Oscar-nominated actress Annette Bening was originally cast in the role, but dropped out before filming began after becoming pregnant.
"We were a little bit in a panic because we'd fitted the costumes and the mask and everything and then Annette was pregnant," said producer Denise Di Novi in an exclusive excerpt from "Batman: The Definitive History of the Dark Knight in Comics, Film, and Beyond," out Tuesday.
Pfeiffer joined the film and was cast so late in the game that when it came time for a costume fitting, she actually used some of the attire that was made for Bening.
In the book, the actress said Catwoman was a heroine of hers and one she was excited to play.
"I guess she just broke all the stereotypes of what it meant to be a woman," said Pfeiffer. "I found that shocking and forbidden."
"I was probably at the age where I was really just coming into my own sexuality, and I just found Catwoman thrilling to watch," she added.
Pfeiffer told The Hollywood Reporter she worked for months perfecting how to use Catwoman's whip.
You can see storyboards by Michael Anthony Jackson for Catwoman in "Batman Returns" below along with a photo of Pfeiffer on set with director Tim Burton wearing gloves over her Catwoman costume.
Zoe Kravitz was recently cast as the next iteration of Selina Kyle/Catwoman in "The Batman." Kravitz will appear alongside Robert Pattinson in the Matt Reeves film out in 2021. Kravitz was cast in the role seven years after she was denied an audition for the same role in Christopher Nolan's "The Dark Knight Rises" because they weren't "going urban."
Pfeiffer recently gave her support to Kravitz on landing the role with a piece of advice.
"Make sure, whilst designing the costume, they consider how you're gonna go to the bathroom,"she joked on "Good Morning America."
"Batman: The Definitive History of the Dark Knight in Comics, Film, and Beyond" is out in stores Tuesday from Insight Editions. You can order it here.