Meow: Judd Is the New Catwoman

Warner Bros. already has two Batman films in development, but they're squeezing even more mileage out of one of their biggest franchises.

Now the Caped Crusader's nemesis-slash-secret-love, Catwoman, is getting a movie of her own. Ashley Judd, whose "Someone Like You" just opened last weekend, has agreed to play the nine-lived female villain, Variety reports.

The petite star already demonstrated her box-office clout in 1999 with the surprise success of the thriller "Double Jeopardy," and before that, with her turn as a kick-boxing kidnap victim in "Kiss the Girls."

Michelle Pfeiffer, who played Catwoman to purr-fection in "Batman Returns," was presumably unavailable to reprise the role.

The fifth and sixth Batman films in development are a live-action prequel, to be directed by Darren Aronofsky ( "Requiem for a Dream" ), and a futuristic version based on the WB Network cartoon "Batman Beyond." No casting has been announced for either film yet.

Judd won't have far to look for tips on how to act in tights: Her current "Someone" co-star, Hugh Jackman, played Wolverine in last year's "X-Men."