Tales based on the iconic Batman comic books are set to continue on TV with Epix working to create a new show about neither Batman, nor his hometown, but his butler, Alfred Pennyworth. That’s right, the latest Batman TV show, dubbed Pennyworth, will center on how a younger Alfred went from being a Special Air Service Solider for the British Army to working for the Wayne family, The Hollywood Reporter reported today.
According to the publication, Pennyworth will show how Alfred meets Bruce Wayne’s father, Thomas Wayne, in London back in the 1960s.
As this is not a spin-off of the current Fox TV show Gotham, the upcoming Epix show will not star Sean Pertwee (who portrays the butler on Gotham).
However, in connection to Gotham, the new show is coming from Bruno Heller, creator and showrunner for Gotham. The executive will be write and executive produce the show.
Further tying itself to Gotham, Pennyworth will be executive produced by Gotham executive producer Danny Cannon, who will also direct Pennyworth’s pilot episode.
“As genuine fans of these classic DC characters, as well as the incredibly talented Bruno Heller and Danny Cannon, we couldn’t be more excited to make Epix the home of this series,” Michael Wright, Epix president, said.
So who will, in fact, play the younger version of Batman’s butler-in crime-fighting? That’s still up in the air, as it’s been reported that casting for the show has yet to begun.
Meanwhile, Heller and Cannon in a joint statement said: “Michael [Wright] and his colleagues have created the perfect venue for original storytelling, and all of us working on Pennyworth are thrilled to be on the Epix slate.”
Gotham focuses on the villains of Gotham City and Gotham Police’s James Gordon and an adolescent Bruce Wayne’s determination to stop them. Earlier this week it was announced the Batman origin story’s fifth season will be its last, as per Deadline.