UPDATE: New theory about Catwoman’s mask added to story. Look for the blinking .gif.

New images of Anne Hathaway in full Catwoman costume have been circulating the Interwebs over the past day or two, taken candidly by onlookers at the set of The Dark Knight Rises. I didn’t want to comment on the costume because, first of all, we don’t yet know if it’s the final version, and second of all, I’m not a fan of these types of candid set shots. I wanted to wait for an officially released photo. But it’s a slow day for geeky news, so I figured there’s more than one way to skin a cat, so I’m going for it.

I don’t like the costume. It’s too glam.

She's a Barbie girl, in a Batman world

This picture is terrible. Anne Hathaway looks like a Barbie doll, walking around as if she were made of plastic. That’s why I wanted to wait for the official shots. But other than just the creepy, thin sort of look, the costume just isn’t good. There are parts I like. I definitely like the style it’s going for, with the leather and the zipper. The costume definitely invokes a more utilitarian look than spandex superhero. It’s the mask I don’t like.

Read more after the jump, as well as my thoughts on the Bane costume.

The heels look silly, and are never a good idea. They work in comic books. But I’m sure my female readers can tell us that one cannot run in heels, let alone be a super cat burglar who fights Batman in heels. I also don’t like the mask and the cutesy cat ears. It looks like she’s wearing a kitty cat headband she swiped from a Halloween costume. Earlier pictures showed us that the cat ears may slide down onto her face to make hi-tech goggles. That’s not an improvement. I don’t like the hair hanging loose and free either.

Complete with action grip and posable arms!

I’m partial to Catwoman’s current comic book costume, which she’s had for a few years now. They’re similar in that both are black leather body suits, but the comic book costume features a full head mask and goggles. Also boots instead of heels.

Hmm, distinct lack of cleavage. Must be pre-revamp.

This costume already looks perfect for the screen. The goggles have a neat personality to them, and the full-head piece doesn’t invoke the silly Halloween headband cutesy ears. Plus letting her hair hang free is never a good idea for a thief who doesn’t want cops to find her DNA.

The website SecretUndergroundHeadquarters.com has some up with a fairly interesting theory regarding Catwoman’s mask. I thought I’d post it for you all to see. 

All that being said, I’m more than willing to wait to see the finished product. There’s no guarantee that this is the final costume. There could be more alterations. Warner Bros. isn’t revealing anything officially yet. So maybe the costume I want will be the one we get. I’ll be sure to let everyone know if that’s the case. I look forward to Catwoman in the movie. She was my choice for the next ‘villain’ to have in Christopher Nolan’s trilogy. She fits perfectly with his themes of escalation and inspiration. Remember at the start of The Dark Knight, where Batman had to stop those average guys who wear their own homemade Batman costumes and fight crime? Well Catwoman is a burglar who takes inspiration from Batman. Maybe she’s mocking him with the name ‘Catwoman’.

Or maybe she’s supposed to be this glam. Either way, this new costume reminds me of Julie Newmar from the 1960s Batman TV show.

Mee-ow!

Changing characters, there were some set photos released a few months ago that showed us Bane’s costume from the movie. The pictures show him out in broad daylight, acting like an actor at a movie set. So I didn’t want to post them. It takes away a lot of the mystique that I’m sure Bane will have in the final movie. But seeing as how I’m talking about the Catwoman costume, I figure I might as well and share my thoughts on the Bane costume.

I like it.

Everyone, if I could have you attentions please...I forgot what I was going to say.

It looks tough and badass, even with the furry coat. The mask definitely invokes the character of Bane, and the whole ensemble reflects the more realistic look to Nolan’s Batman movies. Compare that to what Bane looks like in the comics.

Which way to the gun show?

Or how he looked in the movie Batman and Robin.

The horrible, horrible Batman and Robin

Yes, the character is supposed to be some freakly muscled steroid-abuser…but he can still accomplish that while looking like he does in the leaked picture. I have no idea what Nolan is doing with Bane, but I think he’s a cool choice for villain. I’m definitely eager to see what sort of story Nolan has in store for us next year! Between The Dark Knight and The Avengers, it’s gonna be one geektacular awesome year!