Zoë Kravitz may be taking over the classic, leather catsuit-clad role of Catwoman in the upcoming DC film The Batman, but she isn’t letting any of the pressure of the role get to her.

Speaking to Variety in a new interview, Kravitz has spoken about the world-wide excitement which came when her casting was announced late last year – and said that while she wants to honor the fans with her depiction of the iconic character, she’s also not letting the pressure get to her.

“I was excited when I got the role, and usually when you get a job the people who are excited about it are you, your parents, your agent, your friends and that’s kind of it,” Kravitz said. “But when the press release came, I got more text messages and calls than I’ve gotten on my birthday, on my wedding day.

“All of a sudden, the reality began to sink in about what this means not only to me, but to everybody else culturally – and the fans of this universe are so dedicated and opinionated.”

Continuing to speak about the pressure that comes with such a big role (Anne Hathaway, who previously took on the role in 2012’s The Dark Night Rises, described it as “the role of a lifetime” when Kravitz’s casting was first announced), Kravitz said that while she wants to please the franchise’s dedicated fans, she’s also making sure the pressure doesn’t get in the way of her plans for the role.

“Whenever I get nervous about something, I feel it pushes me to a better place anyway, so I welcome the nerves,” she said. “If you start focusing too much on what people are going to think you’re doing yourself a disservice, it’s almost like you’re putting your energy in the wrong place.

“Of course, I want to honor the fans and hope they like what I do with the role, but in order to do what I think I need to do with Catwoman I have to go internal and forget about the rest of the world.”

The film, which sees Robert Pattinson take on the role of Batman, officially started filming in London at the end of January, and is due for release on 25 June 2021.

Speaking to Hollywood Reporter earlier this year, the director and producer of the film Matt Reeves described The Batman as having a “noir” edge.

“It’s very much a point of view-driven, noir Batman tale,” Reeves explained. “It’s told very squarely on his shoulders, and I hope it’s going to be a story that will be thrilling but also emotional.

“It’s more Batman in his detective mode than we’ve seen in the films. The comics have a history of that. He’s supposed to be the world’s greatest detective, and that’s not necessarily been a part of what the movies have been.”

Images: Getty