WARNING: The following contains spoilers for The Batman, now playing in theaters.
Selina Kyle (Zoë Kravitz) spends most of The Batman operating around Batman (Robert Pattinson) and his own heroic mission, trying to solve her own mysteries and missions regarding the criminals of Gotham. This extends to a secret connection between her and one of the more notorious crime lords of the city, and this has precedent from the comics. The Batman makes some major revelations about Catwoman's connections to Carmine Falcone (John Turturro), mirroring similar plot twists from stories like Catwoman: When in Rome, which shares some surprising DNA with the Matt Reeves film.
One of the big reveals in The Batman about Catwoman regards her unexpected parentage. While Batman initially believes she's a former romantic partner with Carmine Falcone, she eventually reveals she's his illegitimate daughter. Selina was born as a result of an affair between Falcone and her mother, and she remained on the sideline of his wealthy life for years until he secretly murdered her mother.
Afterward, Selina was taken into the social services safety net, and more or less grew up on the streets of Gotham. In the present day, all of her lingering rage about these circumstances are reignited when her friend Annika (Hana Hrzic) ends up in Falcone's crosshairs and is murdered -- setting Selina to finally settle score with Falcone.
Catwoman being the daughter of Carmine Falcone is a recurring element of the Batman comics and is even a major revelation in Catwoman: When in Rome by Jeph Loeb and Tim Sale. The story was one of the follow-ups to Batman: The Long Halloween. Taking place early in the events of the Post-Crisis DC Universe, the story focuses on Selina Kyle venturing to Italy to confront a local crime-boss Don Verinni.
Selina comes seeking information about her possible connection to Falcone, revealing her belief that she may be the long-lost daughter of Falcone and his estranged wife, Louisa. Eventually earning the affections of the mafioso agent the Blond, Selina learns that the Falcones did have a second daughter but gave her up for adoption -- teasing their genuine connection.
The Batman takes other cues from Loeb and Sale's Batman collaborations, including a shared time-frame for the Dark Knight, as well as The Long Halloween's mystery nature and the rise of the city's villainous population in opposition to classic criminals. However, the Catwoman/Falcone storyline could be seen as a reinterpretation of the bond established in Catwoman: When in Rome. Even if Falcone isn't in that story -- having been killed in the climatic issues of The Long Halloween -- that story cemented the idea that Catwoman was tied to the Falcone family. It became a big enough constant that it carried over to the versions of the character who appeared in the post-Flashpoint DC Universe and plays a major role in Selina's growth in The Batman.
There's even an additional coincidence between the pair, as both The Batman and Catwoman: When in Rome feature the Riddler in a major role, trying to conduct his own plans opposite Selina Kyle's own ambitions. It's an interesting parallel and one that highlights versions of Catwoman slightly adrift and in the process of discovering who they are.
Notably, both The Batman and Catwoman: When in Rome end with Selina alone and leaving for greener pastures as an independent woman -- with valuable stolen goods in her possession. However, with The Batman's Selina more positioned for heroism going forward as opposed to the more openly antagonistic Catwoman from the Loeb/Sale collaborations, these revelations may add some unexpected other layers going forward.
To see Zoë Kravitz's Catwoman reveal her unexpected origins, check out The Batman, now playing in theaters