One of the writers of the 2004 Halle Berry film “Catwoman” says there’s a simple reason it didn’t have the cultural impact of “Black Panther”: It was terrible.
Conservative writer DC McAllister tweeted this week: “Michelle Obama says it’s about time black kids have a superhero that reflects who they are. Why didn’t we hear this when Halle Berry as Catwoman was released years ago?”
On Saturday, one of the writers of “Catwoman,” John Rogers, offered his explanation: “Because it was a s— movie dumped by the studio at the end of a style cycle, and had zero cultural relevance either in front of or behind the camera.”
As one of the credited writers of CATWOMAN, I believe I have the authority to say: because it was a s— movie dumped by the studio at the end of a style cycle, and had zero cultural relevance either in front of or behind the camera.
This is a bad take. Feel shame. https://t.co/6sth7w38Xx
— John Rogers (@jonrog1) February 24, 2018
The Berry film was universally panned, winning Razzie Awards for Worst Picture, Worst Actress, Worst Director and Worst Screenplay, which Rogers said, “ended my career.” His only additional film writing credit was for the 2007 “Transformer” story. He switched to TV,and now writes and executive produces “The Librarians.”
He offered this assessment of “Catwoman” director Jean-Christophe “Pitof” Comar:
“Pitof had an eye for action but nobody in power knew what movie they wanted. At one point I said ‘You do realize the big 3rd act fight in your summer tent pole is Halle Berry dressed like a Québécois stripper beating the s–t out of a makeup exec in a pantsuit.’”
1/ Pitof had an eye for action but nobody in power knew what movie they wanted. At one point I said “You do realize the big 3rd act fight in your summer tent pole is Halle Berry dressed like a Québécois stripper beating the shit out of a makeup exec in a pantsuit.” https://t.co/kL9CF5jOno
— John Rogers (@jonrog1) February 24, 2018
Rogers added: “Full disclosure: I was fired off the movie after writing the green light draft because I kept arguing with notes that’d make the movie ‘very, very bad.’ Which I said out loud. At meetings. I got fired a lot in my 30s.”