'You Just Have To Keep Moving’: Halle Berry Reflects On Catwoman Failing At The Box Office

Halle Berry recently looked back on the box office failure of Catwoman after 20 years, sharing in an interview that although it was challenging at first, she was able to overcome the criticism.

By Sweta Choudhury

Published on Jul 19, 2024 | 07:02 PM IST | 57.3K

Halle Berry- ( Instagram/ Halle Berry)

Every failure in life is a stepping stone toward learning and improving. This is how actress Halle Berry reflected on Catwoman's disappointing box office performance 20 years later and its lasting impact on her.

In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, which also featured the film's director Pitof, producer Denise Di Novi, and writer John Brancato, Berry shared that she "didn’t love [the backlash]" and found it difficult to handle, despite being "used to defying stereotypes and making a way out of no way."

However, she added, "That’s okay. I’ve carried other failures and successes. People have opinions, and sometimes they’re louder than others. You just have to keep moving." She further noted that initially, she did not take it casually but eventually, she collected herself as she was accustomed to being strong. As a Black woman, she had fought her whole life.

Director Pitof highlighted Catwoman's positive aspects despite its failure

Despite the film's commercial failure at the box office, director Pitof said that Catwoman was way ahead of its time. Halle Berry was the first Black female superhero [of the era], so people weren’t ready for that kind of film.

He further added, "Now, after some key movements, we have more diversity and inclusiveness," the director continued. "Younger audiences see things differently and are much more open. Back then, comic-book fans hated the movie because the film didn’t involve Batman; with a new generation, it’s not a problem."

Catwoman encountered both critical and commercial failure. The movie won Worst Picture, and Halle Berry received the Worst Actress trophy at the Razzies, which honors the year's worst films. Despite this, Catwoman is now witnessing renewed success on streaming platforms, with a rating of 4.5 out of 5 on Prime Video.

A fan on X (formerly Twitter) wrote, "I'm sorry but Halle Berry ate her Catwoman role up, idk why ppl hate that movies [sic], it's camp. I love it." Berry replied, "I'm seeing all the Catwoman love, everybody."

More on Catwomen

Catwoman first hit theaters in 2004. The movie made $82.4 million at the worldwide box office on a $100 million budget, per Box Office Mojo, and currently holds an 8% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. In addition to Halle Berry, who plays the lead character of Patience Phillips/Catwoman the film also featured Sharon Stone, Benjamin Bratt, Lambert Wilson, and Frances Conroy.

According to DC Movies, Catwoman is a spinoff flick for the Batman character Catwoman. It is loosely based on the comic character but is mostly a new take on her. It revolves around the origin of this version of Catwoman, as she fights against Laurel Hedare.

ALSO READ: ‘Didn’t Quite Know That’: Mark Ruffalo Was Surprised When He Learnt Marvel Co-star Brie Larson Was In 13 Going On 30

Brie Larson Shares Her Experience Playing Captain Marvel; Says She Reaches Out to Other Actors To Help