For every Bat, there is a Cat. As the “Batman” film franchise keeps getting rebooted and relaunched, directors and writers always find a way to bring the slinking, thieving Catwoman back into the life of the Caped Crusader. Maybe it’s because they know how vital she is for making the brooding Bruce Wayne feel more human; whenever Selina Kyle, with her whip-smart humor and fierce bullwhip, arrives on the screen, she instantly injects an element of danger, charm and sexuality into the superhero genre, which too often lacks in all three. Aside from the Dark Knight himself and his archenemy Joker, she’s perhaps the most famous character in all of the “Batman” mythos, and one that consistently attracts talented, vibrant actors to don the cat ears. And while the quality of the films and TV shows she’s featured in fluctuates, from amazing to mediocre to an absolute mess, there’s never been a truly bad Catwoman actor on the silver screen.
In honor of Zoe Kravitz’s memorable recent turn as Selina Kyle in Matt Reeves’ “The Batman,” we’re looking at eight live-action depictions of the character, ranked from worst to best.