GOTHAM Prequel PENNYWORTH is "R-Rated", Will Avoid Batman Villains

Alfred's swinging '60s won't swing towards Batman villains.

Deadline has a new report from the Television Critics Association, with Gotham and Pennyworth executive Danny Cannon providing some new details on what to expect with Epix's upcoming Alfred Pennyworth drama series starring Jack Bannon as Alfred and Ben Aldridge as Thomas Wayne.

Pennyworth will focus on Bruce Wayne's legendary butler, Alfred Pennyworth, a former British SAS soldier who forms a security company and goes to work with Thomas Wayne, Bruce's billionaire father, in 1960s London.  The 10-episode first season will also be executive produced and written by Gotham's Bruno Heller.

According to the article, Cannon described his vision for Pennyworth, noting, "It's twentysomething years before Gotham, it’s a very different world.  His is the DC version of 1960s London.  13 degrees history is different: It’s not the England we know.  It looks and feels like, but if you look a little closer, [you ask], 'Why is that like that?  Why is that building there?  What war is he talking about?'"

Cannon also promised a completely "unhinged, R-rated" series, especially compared to the often-campy Gotham.  Instead of featuring the ancestors of Batman villains like The Joker, The Riddler or Catwoman, Pennyworth will explore "archetypal villains and classic villains of British literature.  They’re all available to us."  When asked about seeing someone like Jack the Ripper, Cannon replied, "Jack the Ripper was 1880s, but he has descendants."

Paloma Faith will play Alfred’s main adversary, Bet Sykes, a character not from DC Comics, who is described as a "spirited, sadistic and sharp-tongued villain."  Bet's sister, Peggy Sykes (Polly Walker), is "one of Lancashire’s busiest and most successful dominatrixes.  The sensible matriarch in a family of maniacs, Peggy is fiercely loyal, endlessly resourceful and lives by her own strange but rigorous moral code."  In addition, Jason Flemyng will play another villain named Lord Harwood.

Cannon also mentioned that the show's test audience reacted well to what they saw.  He remarked, "We had a test audience and there were only so many who knew it was a DC-related series.  It was incredibly positive and that’s because the characters are being drawn out. There’s so much to draw from and so much to imagine.  You didn’t really know [Alfred’s] backstory."

Pennyworth is expected to debut on Epix sometime in June 2019.