It won’t be much longer before fans start getting clearer looks at Matt Reeves’sThe Batman. Thefilm finished shooting this March, just one year after pandemic restrictions threw production into chaos. It is set to release July 15, 2025, which means it will be a while before anyone is sitting in a theater for it, but hopefully, trailers and details will be coming soon.
At this point, little is known about the film aside from the exciting list of people working on- and off-camera.The Batmanis directed by Reeves, who has previously worked onCloverfieldandThe Planet of the Apesremakes. Collin Farrell plays the Penguin in the movie, alongside Zoë Kravitz as Catwoman and Paul Dano as Riddler. The “good guy” side of the cast includes Jeffery Wright as Commissioner Gordon and, of course,Robert Pattinson as Batman.
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For all the buzz about the leading men and women, one of the most anticipated performances inThe Batmanis a supporting role. Reeves tapped the one-and-only Andy Serkis to play Bruce Wayne’s butler Alfred Pennyworth. Whereas big-name characters like Batman and the Penguin are known quantities, the role of Alfred can be played in countless different ways. Serkis has the most leeway with his character and the biggest opportunity to change the feel of the film.
Defining The Character
It’s easy to forget now, butChristopher Nolan’s Batman trilogy was defined by its smaller roles. The movies brought in A-list actors to fill out the supporting cast, and clearly Reeves is going in a similar direction. InThe Dark Knighttrilogy, Michael Caine portrayed Alfred. Caine altered the relationship between Alfred and Bruce Wayne for the better. His version of the character acted as a father figure to the young Bruce. As adults, the two of them are more friends than co-workers, and the warmth of their relationship is part of what makes that trilogy so compelling. Caine’s Alfred gets some of the biggest emotional beats inThe Dark Knight Rises.
Caine’s version of Alfred stands in stark contrast to the version of the character who appeared inthe Tim BurtonBatmanmovies. Michael Gough played Alfred as a tireless and faithful servant to Bruce Wayne. He had more concern for Bruce’s social life than Caine’s version of the character, and he expressed his sarcasm with delightful dryness. Despite their closeness, Gough’s Alfred wasn’t really seen as a mentor figure for Burton’s Bruce Wayne.
Jeremy Irons played the most recent film version of Alfred. Irons didn’t get much screen time with the character, but he still managed to make a massive impression on fans. His version of the character was much more involved in the heroics than previous iterations. Irons has called hisAlfred “a bit of a hero”, and that distinction makes his Alfred unique. It isn’t hard to picture Irons’sAlfred as an MI-6 agentin his youth.
A New Take
Now Andy Serkis takes on the role of Batman’s butler and oldest friend. There’s every reason to imagine he’ll bring something new and thrilling to the role. Serkis has an impressive record of accolades behind him. He’s best known for his motion-capture work onThe Lord of the Ringsmovies. He redefined Gollum, a beloved character who had existed since 1937. Now Serkis and Gollum are inseparably linked.
Serkis has worked withThe Batmandirector Matt Reeves in the past. In Reeves’sPlanet of the Apestrilogy, Serkis voiced Caesar, who is arguably the main character of all three movies. Their previous relationship likely has something to do with Reeves picking Serkis for the role of Alfred. The director certainly knows how to get fantastic, franchise-defining performances out of the actor.
If those weren’t enough qualifications, Serkis also appeared in the Marvel universe. He played Ulysses Klaue inAvengers: Age of Ultronand went on to reprise the role forBlack Panther. Currently, he’s still part of the comic book movie world, but this time he’s behind the camera.Serkis is directingVenom: Let There Be Carnage, which will come to theaters later this year.
There’s no way to tell how Reeves and Serkis will decide to portray Alfred in the new movie. Details aboutThe Batmanhave been few and far between, leaving fans to guess and speculate based on tiny bits of information. One of those bits is an interview Serkis did for his new filmSAS: Red Notice. In the interview, Serkis hinted that his version of Alfred mightlean on the character’s secret agent backstoryin the comic books. That would be entirely new for the films, which have largely avoided the question of Alfred’s backstory altogether. Unless Reeves or Serkis suddenly starts being more open about the details ofThe Batman(which seems unlikely) fans will just have to wait and see.
The Batmanis scheduled for release June 27, 2025.
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