Anne Hathaway to Purr as Catwoman in "The Dark Knight Rises", Beating Out Keira Knightly, Jessica Biel

Actress Anne Hathaway has been cast as Catwoman in Christopher Nolan's "The Dark Knight Rises", Warner Bros. Pictures released Wednesday. Catwoman, the ambiguous hero/villain female counterpart to Batman, is the alter-ego of tragic Selina Kyle. Given the feline qualities needed to portray this iconic Batman character, was Anne Hathaway the best choice?

Christian Bale will return to star as Batman/Bruce Wayne. "The Dark Knight Rises" will also re-introduce the unbelievably strong villain 'Bane' to fans. The part is to be played by Tom Hardy.

Should Hathaway Have Beat Out Competition for Catwoman?

Anne Hathaway beat out an impressive roster of leading ladies to win her role in "The Dark Knight Rises." Rumored among the other actresses clawing to wear the catsuit are Keira Knightly, Blake Lively, Natalie Portman, Rachel Weisz, Naomi Watts and Jessica Biel.

All of these leading ladies are capable of the sexiness and seductive prowess of Catwoman. Keira Knightly and Blake Lively, who is in "The Green Lantern", could pull off the athletic grace. Anne Hathaway doesn't really come across as that athletic or graceful, but that is probably due to the duckling to swan roles she played earlier in her career.

The absolute trait the actress who plays Catwoman in "The Dark Knight Rises" must have, is to be feline. Not just in a meow and lick her paws kind of way--although that's definitely been done--but with the shape of the face and narrowing of the eyes that is distinctly feline. The way Michelle Pfeiffer and Halle Barry seemed to fit the part. Which Hathaway does not and, as it turned out, neither did Berry.

Natalie Portman and Jessica Biel do have strong feline qualities. Portman in grace and Biel in face. Of the two, only Portman would be likely to pull off the character. Unfortunately, a baby bump doesn't fit well in a catsuit.

Nolan may have wanted a big name to draw movie-goers to his latest and last Batman installment, but perhaps it would have been best to go with an up-and-comer. Mila Kunis, from "Black Swan", is poised to become a super star and would have been an excellent casting choice.

Will Hathaway be a Success in "The Dark Knight Rises"?

If "The Dark Knight Rises'" version of Catwoman requires any humor, subtle or obvious, Anne Hathaway is the perfect choice. Her quirkiness in films such as "The Princess Diaries" and comedic timing in "Love and Other Drugs" proves she can stick a laugh.

Hathaway's revealing Golden Globes dress, a form fitting long-sleeved amber Armani Prive and Swarovski crystal embroidered gown. The dress may as well have been a catsuit the way it flaunted her flawless curves. Hathaway is definitely in good enough shape--or shapeliness--to be cast as Catwoman in the newest Batman movie.

It's still that sexy mystique, that felineness, that we can't be sure Anne Hathaway will bring to the movie. The wrong Catwoman could make or break "The Dark Knight Rises". At best she could draw us into the intrigue, at worst turn the film into a campy movie punchline.