Credit: Sony Pictures, Warner Bros.One iconic Batman star claims they never would have gotten the role if a highly-anticipated Spider-Man project hadn’t been canceled.
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Since debuting in theaters in 2002, the Spider-Man universe has expanded into the most successful superhero franchise of all time. Not only has this created beloved live-action performances from Tobey Maguire, Andrew Garfield, and Tom Holland, but it evolved into the incredible Spider-Verse films, which many consider some of the best animated films of all time.
The only singular hero who has a chance to stand up to the Web-Slinger is Batman, who gained public attention through iconic films directed by Tim Burton, Christopher Nolan, and Matt Reeves. However, the two franchises are surprisingly connected through one Batman star who wouldn’t have joined the Dark Knight trilogy if not for a canceled Spider-Man project.
Anne Hathaway Not Getting ‘Spider-Man 4’ Led To ‘Dark Knight Rises’
While talking about her acting philosophy on the Happy Sad Confused podcast with Josh Horowitz, Academy Award-winning actor Anne Hathaway talked about how she almost played a different cat-themed thief, Black Cat, in Sam Raimi’s canceled Spider-Man 4 instead of Catwoman in Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight Rises (2012).
“I did not get into costume and did not read a script past the audition sides,” said Hathaway. “I got the part and, yeah, it just… That’s probably more the producers’ story to tell than mine, should they ever decide to tell it. The Spider-Man universe has gone on to be so enormous and so thrilling. It’s just reinventing itself and all of those things, so I wouldn’t want to make more of it than is necessary.”
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“If [Spider-Man 4] had gotten made, I don’t know if I would’ve been considered for [The Dark Knight Rises],” the Princess Diaries (2001) star continued. “Perhaps [Christopher Nolan] would’ve said, ‘No, she’s occupied in another universe.’”
Fortunately, this wasn’t the case, and Anne Hathaway went on to play Selina Kyle in The Dark Knight Rises, arguably the best interpretation audiences have seen of the character. However, that’s not something that Hathaway wants to focus on. “When it doesn’t happen, trust deeper and keep going,” she elaborated. “It sounds maybe corny, but you really do have to keep it grateful.”
Do you wish we got Anne Hathaway as Black Cat in Spider-Man 4? Let Inside the Magic know in the comments down below!