 Michelle Pfeiffer (qv) was originally cast as Michaela Odone but  dropped out in order to play Catwoman in  _Batman Returns (1992)_ (qv) a role that Susan Sarandon (qv) also  expressed interest in. The script for "Lorenzos Oil" was given to  Sarandon but she steadfastly refused to read it until she knew that  Pfeiffer was no longer participating in the film.