'Pennyworth': Release date, cast, plot, trailer and everything you need to know about Epix's series on Batman's butler
With the Superman prequel series, 'Krypton' proving to be a major hit with audiences, DC has now added one more prequel, and this time, it has to do with Batman. The last Batman-related series, 'Gotham' focused on Commissioner Jim Gordon, and the new show, 'Pennyworth' will trace the history of Bruce Wayne's witty butler, Alfred Pennyworth starring Jack Bannon.
Alfred has been a key character in all Batman movies so far. Michael Cain played the part in the 'The Dark Knight' trilogy and Jeremy Irons replaced him in the recent 'Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice' and 'Justice League'. Ralph Fiennes, Michael Gough, and Sean Pertwee have played the role in the earlier movies.
The upcoming drama series produced by Bruno Heller and Danny Cannon is set to premiere on Epix and here's what we know about it so far.
Release date:
'Pennyworth' will hit Epix July 28.
Plot:
An early glimpse into Alfred's past is narrated in 'The Dark Knight Rises' when he narrates a story about a mission in Burma to Bruce Wayne (Christian Bale). In the series, Alfred plays a former SAS soldier from Britain, who forms a security company and goes to work with Thomas Wayne in London in the '60s.
Cast:
Jack Bannon plays the titular character. He has previously starred in 'The Imitation Game', 'Endeavour' and 'Medici'. Ben Aldridge is Thomas Wayne, a young billionaire from the East Coast of the United States, Ryan Fletcher is Dave Boy, a long-time friend of Alfred who served with him in the army, Paloma Faith portrays Bet Sykes, a spirited, sadistic rival to Alfred and Jason Flemyng plays Lord Harwood, Alfred's nemesis who works with Sykes.
Writer/Director:
'Pennyworth' is executive produced by Bruno Heller ('The Mentalist' and 'Gotham') and Danny Cannon ('CSI: Miami' and 'I Still Know What You Did Last Summer'). The character is based on the comics created by Bob Kane and Bill Finger.
Trailer:
"I want to be my own man," says a clean-shaven Alfred, clad in a crisp army uniform at the start of the trailer. He's no slouch in fist fights either; the clip also shows him taking on a bunch of baddies in a bar. Bits and pieces of plot details are revealed as Alfred considers going into the security business.
Such is Bannon's charisma that he looks like a '60s James Bond straight out of Ian Fleming's novels. And for a man who says he hates violence, his methods of putting the bad guys out of commission seem pretty brutal and effective. We also get a look at Aldridge's Thomas Wayne. In short, the trailer is quite electrifying and we can't wait to see the suave SAS soldier in action.
Watch this space for more updates on 'Pennyworth'.
If you are looking forward to 'Pennyworth', then you may enjoy these:
'Gotham', 'Krypton', 'Young Justice', 'Smallville' and 'The Blacklist'.