“She’s occupied in another universe”: Anne Hathaway was Grateful Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man 4 Never got Made Because of Christopher Nolan
In a recent interview, Anne Hathaway reflected on some major movie roles that ultimately went to other actors. She feels especially fortunate that she missed out on starring in director Sam Raimi’s canceled Spider-Man 4 film, believing it opened the door for her acclaimed Catwoman turn in 2012’s The Dark Knight Rises.
Hathaway was originally set to play Felicia Hardy/Black Cat opposite Tobey Maguire’s web-slinger in the scrapped sequel. But when Sony pulled the plug on Raimi’s vision and rebooted the franchise, Hathaway found herself free to pursue other blockbusters instead.
Does Anne Hathaway Have No Regrets Over Losing Barbie Either?
In a recent Happy Sad Confused podcast interview, interestingly, Anne Hathaway also harbors no hard feelings over Margot Robbie assuming the lead role in 2022’s live-action Barbie film. Hathaway was once attached to a less “cool” sounding iteration of the movie at Sony. But she feels the “phenomenal” team of Robbie and director Greta Gerwig “hit a bullseye” with their giddy, zeitgeist-capturing take.
In the interview, the actress stressed having faith that when one door closes career-wise, another opens at the right moment. She credits this philosophical view for not fixating on past near-misses like Spider-Man 4 or rival Barbie projects.
Dodging Spider-Man Paved the Way for Iconic Catwoman
Indeed, Hathaway believes never appearing in Raimi’s canceled Spidey sequel was fortuitous. It likely ruled her out from contention for Christopher Nolan’s Batman trilogy capper, which demanded casting a lesser-known actress. And so without that web-slinging obligation, Hathaway won the career-defining role of Selina Kyle/Catwoman instead.
As she noted wryly, had she starred in Spider-Man 4, Nolan might have deemed her occupied in another universe. She said:
“If [‘Spider-Man 4’] had gotten made, I don’t know if I would’ve been considered for [‘The Dark Knight Rises’]. Perhaps [Christopher Nolan] would’ve said, ‘No, she’s occupied in another universe.’”
We can only speculate on the would-be Black Cat interpretation audiences missed out on seeing. But few would argue that Hathaway’s complex, alluring Catwoman wasn’t worth that trade-off.
Anne Hathaway Has No Time For What-Ifs
Ultimately, Hathaway’s experience reminds that the acting world constantly forces difficult choices between juicy roles. And when a disappointing near-miss like Spider-Man 4 happens, dwelling on hypotheticals gets you nowhere. Hathaway clearly believes in the wisdom that you simply trust the right jobs find you at the destined moment.
Would her Black Cat have become as iconic a superheroine as Michelle Pfeiffer’s pioneering Catwoman? It’s impossible to say. But Hathaway’s maturity and gratitude shine through in not wasting energy on what-ifs. She landed her own career-highlight comic book character soon enough. And her Catwoman still reigns as Nolan’s gritty trilogy’s most complex and captivating presence.
