Spider-Man 4 director Sam Raimi has reportedly decided on at least one villain to get tangled up in the web of Spider-Man. If this is true (and we’re calling it another Rumor for now), it will completely nullify all of the villain rumors to date about Spider-Man’s potential nemesis in the fourth film (The Lizard or Mysterio to name a couple) because supposedly, Raimi is going with Black Cat as the foe in Spider-Man 4.
Raimi has always followed a strict rule when it comes to choosing his villains: the character can’t just be a threat to Spider-Man, but also has to somehow be linked to Peter Parker’s life. Black Cat fits that rule and if this is true and they stay true to most of the comic book interpretations of Black Cat and her relationship with Web Head, this could be a great movie.
Black Cat first appeared in Amazing Spider-Man #194 (1979) and is the alter ego of Felicia Hardy, she is a skilled (somewhat reformed) cat burglar who is currently an occasional crime fighter and adventurer. Initially, her “cat-like” facade was merely a part of a powerless persona. While she later did gain powers through a combination of science and magic, her current abilities are artificial and mechanically based.and goes from being a villain to eventually being a consistent ally to Spider-Man.
The Black Cat is often mistaken as an homage to DC’s Catwoman, however, this is not correct. Felicia Hardy’s signature low cut black costume, cat burglar profession, and her steady relationship to Spider-Man predate Selina Kyle’s similar depiction in comics by almost a decade. Catwoman originally appeared in comics as “the Cat”, a maskless cat burglar in a green dress and unrequited love interest for Batman, but later on became a gimmick supervillain that used big cats for elaborate crimes. Although she was eventually given a black catsuit in the television series, her modern incarnation combining these elements didn’t occur until 1987 with Frank Miller’s classic Batman: Year One.
No actress has been officially cast as Black Cat yet, but there are various rumors about that floating through the interwebs as well. First, Mania is reporting a rumor that Rachel McAdams has met with the producers of Spider-Man 4 to play the role of Black Cat, while /film is confirming that Raimi is casting the film and they are looking for a new female lead.. they are also proposing that Romola Garai a 27-year-old British actress who starred in Amazing Grace, The Other Man and Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights has auditioned for the role.
So, True Believers… what say you? Crap or Fact? and either way, what do you think about Black Cat being Spidey’s villain and the possibility of either McAdams or Garai taking the role? Let me know in the comments!
