Zoe Kravitz Bows Out as Catwoman: No Return for Selina Kyle in ‘The Batman Part II’ Amid Scarlett Johansson Casting Buzz
By Samaran, Founding Editor
December 4, 2025
In a development that’s sending shockwaves through the DC fandom, Zoë Kravitz is reportedly not expected to reprise her iconic role as Selina Kyle/Catwoman in Matt Reeves’ highly anticipated sequel, The Batman Part II. The news, breaking just days ago, has ignited a firestorm of disappointment among fans who hailed Kravitz’s sultry, grounded portrayal in the 2022 original as a career-defining turn.
Sources close to the production, speaking to Variety and Nexus Point News, confirm that Kravitz—whose character rode off into the Gotham night on a motorcycle at the film’s emotional close—will sit out the follow-up. The revelation came amid reports that filming is slated to kick off next spring, with an October 1, 2027, theatrical release locked in by Warner Bros. Pictures. Earlier hints surfaced back in August during a junket for Kravitz’s film Caught Stealing, where publicists explicitly instructed journalists to steer clear of The Batman Part II questions, noting she “doesn’t know anything” about the project.
The absence of Catwoman raises intriguing questions about the sequel’s narrative trajectory. Reeves’ The Batman, which grossed a staggering $772 million worldwide, drew heavily from noir classics like The Long Halloween, positioning Selina as a pivotal foil to Robert Pattinson’s brooding Bruce Wayne. Her off-screen nod in HBO’s The Penguin series finale—a letter to half-sister Sofia Falcone—teased potential crossovers, but insiders suggest story shifts and scheduling conflicts have derailed her involvement. “This might be one of the biggest fumbles ever,” lamented one fan on X, echoing a chorus of online dismay that includes calls to “cancel the whole movie” and heartbroken declarations like, “This news has ruined my life.”
Adding fuel to the speculation fire, Scarlett Johansson is in final negotiations to join the ensemble, marking a high-profile DC debut for the Avengers alum post-MCU. While her role remains under wraps—whispers point to possibilities like Poison Ivy, Vicki Vale, or even Andrea Beaumont/The Phantasm—her potential entry has done little to soften the blow for Kravitz loyalists. “Scarlett stepping in is a major swing, but losing Zoe’s Catwoman still stings,” tweeted user @etty_crown, capturing the bittersweet sentiment rippling across social media.
Neither Warner Bros. nor Kravitz’s representatives have issued official statements, leaving room for the slim chance of a last-minute pivot. Yet, with DC Studios under James Gunn and Peter Safran’s reboot-happy regime, this exit aligns with a franchise eager to evolve beyond its 2022 blueprint. Could Selina’s story pivot to a dedicated HBO spinoff, perhaps exploring her Falcone ties? Or is this the end of Kravitz’s claw-sharp tenure in Gotham?
For now, The Batman Part II promises a darker plunge into the Caped Crusader’s world, sans one of its most magnetic antiheroes. As production ramps up, fans—and this editor—can only hope Reeves conjures a sequel worthy of the original’s grit. Stay tuned to The Indian Cinema for all the latest from the Batcave.
Samaran is the Founding Editor of The Indian Cinema, where he dissects global pop culture through a desi lens.
