Trailer(EPIX): Pennyworth, the Batman Prequel About a Spy Butler Update: CANCELLED



Pennyworth cast and creator explain how each character represents a different side of Batman

"With Lucius Fox, now the nursery is complete," says showrunner Bruno Heller. Watch EW's full panel interview with the 'Pennyworth' team about season 2 and civil war.
By Christian Holub
March 29, 2021 at 12:24 PM EDT




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Pennyworth may be set before the birth of Bruce Wayne, but Batman's presence can be felt everywhere on the EPIX series. Season 2 in particular has proved a fiery crucible for the characters, with its story of a fictionalized English civil war forcing everyone from Thomas Wayne (Ben Aldridge) to Alfred Pennyworth himself (Jack Bannon) to make hard choices about what kind of people they want to be — choices that will eventually have a major impact on the development of the Dark Knight.
This past weekend, EW moderated a virtual WonderCon panel with the people behind Pennyworth — Bannon, Aldridge, Emma Paetz (Martha Kane), Simon Manyonda (Lucius Fox), and creator/showrunner Bruno Heller — to discuss the show's explosive second season. Given the wartime setting, Alfie and other characters have had to wrestle with hard questions around violence. We all know that eventually "no killing" will be a core tenet of Batman's crime-fighting philosophy, and even now killing is taking a heavy toll on Alfie's psyche.

"There were some instances in first drafts of season 2 scripts where Alfred killed police officers and things like that, and we were like, 'Hmm, I don't think that would happen,'" Bannon said. "It's brilliant because we're working in a pre-comics world, it's a fantastic alternative DC London, so we can almost do what we like, but we're conscious that all of our choices as the characters we're creating will feed into the Batman thing. He will come much later, but the choices we make and the people we become will inform who he is. I do feel conscious of that."
CREDIT: EPIX
Lucius is the latest addition to Pennyworth's proto-Batman family, and his hands are dirty. While working undercover in the ranks of the fascist Raven Union, he helped develop a scientific super-weapon called Stormcloud that threatens to turn the tide of the war by unleashing horrific violence. Now that Lucius has been extracted by Alfie and co., he's determined to help stop Stormcloud — and has a newfound understanding of how dangerous his inventions can be.

"Casting forward to Batman and who Lucius Fox becomes, to me it becomes clear why Lucius invents non-lethal weapons," Manyonda said. "He knows he can invent such dangerous stuff, and he's been in a dangerous time around dangerous people. Where Alfie can teach the young Batman to fight and to become a lethal weapon in his body, Lucius can go 'okay, I can make you stuff to protect you and help you save the world, but I'm not gonna make stuff that allows you to kill people. Which I could do.' He's not gonna do that anymore."
Heller takes the point even further. Not only is Pennyworth an origin story for the whole Batman philosophy and mythology, it's also an origin story for the DC Universe over all — one that in some ways matches how dark and strange our own modern world has become.
"With the arrival of Lucius Fox, you now have the four people that create Batman," Heller said. "Their sensibilities and their mentalities and their talents, you put them together, and with all the conflicts that creates, you have the Batman character, which is precisely about law and order vs. revenge, humanity vs. science, doing wrong things in order to do the right things. With Lucius, now the nursery is complete."
Heller continued, "I'm really excited for season 3, because now we've got all the pillars in place. As you can see this season, the world is changing very rapidly, and it's sort of an acceleration of what all of us have been seeing over the last 50 years, which is this race towards a strange new world that no one is really gonna be familiar with or comfortable in. Batman is the modern mythical character that struggles with all of those contradictions."
Watch the full panel above. Pennyworth airs new episodes Sundays on EPIX, and there are still two episodes left of season 2.
 
Just finished season one.

This is a damn good series. Definitely a sleeper hit.

The first 5 episodes of season one are character introduction/development along with story development. The 2nd half of the season definitely jumps off in quality.

Thomas and Martha are introduced and we see their relationship go from not liking each other to liking each other. There did seem that there was a spark between Alfred and Martha. I have not read Batman since the 80s, so not sure what DC has done with the characters since. It will be interesting if something happens between Alfred and Martha.

The series is rated TV-MA. And it fits. Plenty of graphic violence and some female nudity thru-out.

For the militants, there is interracial but not how you think. The series takes place in late 1960s England. The series thru-out shows Blacks, Whites and other ethnic groups working and socializing together which was common in England/Europe in those days.

For the Gay Agenda trackers, there is one episode dealing with a gay white male couple. I suspect their storyline plays in later with Thomas and later with Bruce becoming Batman.

For the Pervs, there are plenty of sexual deviant shit shown thru-out the series.

I looked into it and at this time this series is a prequel to the FOX series “Gotham”. That is when it was on EPIX.

Warner Bros. has brought the show officially to HBO MAX, so it’s possible they might be switching it over to connect to the DCU. We should find out when season 3 debuts later this year.

The series has plenty of tongue in cheek adult comedy. What Alfred did with the Queen is pure comedy.

I’m gonna try to knock out season 2 hopefully this summer before season 3 starts. I got a lot of shit to watch and catch up on right now.
 
Just finished season one.

This is a damn good series. Definitely a sleeper hit.

The first 5 episodes of season one are character introduction/development along with story development. The 2nd half of the season definitely jumps off in quality.

Thomas and Martha are introduced and we see their relationship go from not liking each other to liking each other. There did seem that there was a spark between Alfred and Martha. I have not read Batman since the 80s, so not sure what DC has done with the characters since. It will be interesting if something happens between Alfred and Martha.

The series is rated TV-MA. And it fits. Plenty of graphic violence and some female nudity thru-out.

For the militants, there is interracial but not how you think. The series takes place in late 1960s England. The series thru-out shows Blacks, Whites and other ethnic groups working and socializing together which was common in England/Europe in those days.

For the Gay Agenda trackers, there is one episode dealing with a gay white male couple. I suspect their storyline plays in later with Thomas and later with Bruce becoming Batman.

For the Pervs, there are plenty of sexual deviant shit shown thru-out the series.

I looked into it and at this time this series is a prequel to the FOX series “Gotham”. That is when it was on EPIX.

Warner Bros. has brought the show officially to HBO MAX, so it’s possible they might be switching it over to connect to the DCU. We should find out when season 3 debuts later this year.

The series has plenty of tongue in cheek adult comedy. What Alfred did with the Queen is pure comedy.

I’m gonna try to knock out season 2 hopefully this summer before season 3 starts. I got a lot of shit to watch and catch up on right now.

As usual....

Outstanding
 

Pennyworth really wants you to know it's a show about Batman's butler

What's in a name?

By Christian HolubAugust 10, 2022 at 02:49 PM EDT


Pennyworth is returning for its third season in October, and new installments of the DC Comics-inspired show will debut straight onto HBO Max instead of Epix. Those who already know and love the series' alternate-history take on 20th century England will likely rejoice at this news; others will probably think, "Wow I didn't even realize the evil clown from It had his own TV show."
But this is not a show about a demonic jester — it's a show about the origin of Batman's butler. To drive that point home, season 3 has a new title that's about as subtle as a sledgehammer: It's now called Pennyworth: The Origin of Batman's Butler. Hopefully that clears things up for everyone!
Batman is a globally recognized character, and even people with a glancing knowledge of his mythology surely realize that he has a butler named Alfred. How many people know that said butler's full name is Alfred Pennyworth? Apparently not as many as Warner Bros. would like.


Jack Bannon on 'Pennyworth: The Origin of Batman's Butler'

| CREDIT: HBO MAX

Promo art for 'Pennyworth: The Origin of Batman's Butler'

| CREDIT: HBO MAX
Pennyworth stars Jack Bannon as the title character (the guy who becomes Batman's butler, natch), while Ben Aldridge and Emma Paetz play the future parents of Batman, Thomas Wayne and Martha Kane. Last season saw them embroiled in an English civil war, but season 3 will open after a five-year time jump. Now the war is over and "a cultural revolution" has ushered in a new era of superheroes and supervillains.
And their butlers.

image
 
Pennyworth season 3 is 'a bit more DC' with 'cartoony' 1970s time jump, says Paloma Faith

The singer-actress says the new season signals a fresh era for Batman's butler.
By Joey Nolfi and Christian HolubAugust 30, 2022 at 12:48 PM EDT

image


Pop star Paloma Faith is crooning new truths about what the future holds for Batman's butler in the upcoming Pennyworth season 3.
"We're in the '70s now in Pennyworth, we've been kidnapped," Faith exclusively tells EW of her character, Bet Sykes, who was a villain in the beginning of the show before coming to see the light last season.
"Things have moved on a bit in terms of inventions," she adds of the new time period. "It's hotting up, it's getting a bit more DC, more cartoony. It's quite fun."

A representative for the show confirms to EW that the series will jump to the 1970s during season 3.

Paloma Faith in 'Pennyworth'

| CREDIT: ALEX BAILEY/EPIX
Pennyworth is set in an alternate history, exploring the DC Universe decades before the Justice League emerged. The first season saw Alfred (Jack Bannon) and allies like Thomas Wayne (Ben Aldridge) struggling against the shadowy organization known as the Raven Society. The dark group launched a coup at the end of season 1, and season 2 was consumed by a civil war between the new fascist Raven Union and the remnants of Britain's democratic government. Bet initially served as a captain in an interrogation center for the Raven Union, until it all became too much and she defected. She eventually teamed up with Alfred to defeat the Raven Union.

Subtitled The Origin of Batman's Butler, the third season of the beloved DC Comics adaptation will jump a few years after the end of the war into a new decade. The season will also premiere on HBO Max, making the jump from its original network, Epix, for new episodes.

The move comes amid headlines for the streaming service's parent company, Warner Bros. Discovery, announcing that it would merge the platform with Discovery+ content for an all-new outlet in 2023.


Jack Bannon on 'Pennyworth: The Origin of Batman's Butler'

| CREDIT: HBO MAX
Another DC title, the Batgirl feature film, was recently shelved by Warner Bros. Discovery after it already spent a reported $90 million to shoot the project.

In addition to season 3 of Pennyworth — which debuts Oct. 6 on HBO Max — Faith can next be seen in Starz' new Dangerous Liaisons TV series, which is billed as a prelude to French writer Pierre Choderlos de Laclos's classic 1782 novel.
 
I was planning on watching season 2 over the Thanksgiving week.

But with what the WB CEO recently did with “Batgirl” I’m hesitant right now in continuing the series until I get some definitive word on what Warner Bros. future plans are with DC.

I will wait and see and keep a eye on things…..
 
I was planning on watching season 2 over the Thanksgiving week.

But with what the WB CEO recently did with “Batgirl” I’m hesitant right now in continuing the series until I get some definitive word on what Warner Bros. future plans are with DC.

I will wait and see and keep a eye on things…..

It's good.

It's worth the commitment

It's very much like Gotham but more adult and gritter and "real".

Even if this is the last season if they are able to connect it with Gotham?

It would tell a solid tale...

With room to revisit
 
Season 2
Episodes 1 - 5

I binged these 5 episodes this morning.

Season picked up shortly after the events in the season one finale.

It was pure comedy with Alfred at home with his mother. And Queen Elizabeth burning up his mothers phone looking for Alfred wanting some Dick. He Fucked her in season one.

The season starts out with Alfred doing his thing, trying to get funds together to leave England for the US.

Alfred, Thomas and Martha go thru these episodes with no direct contact with each other.

Thomas Wayne has been moved up in the CIA And working against the Raven Society. Martha is working along with him. Their romance is still moving forward slowly at this point.

Lucius Fox made his debut working deep cover in the Raven Society under Thomas Wayne. He is running around with a army of high tech gadgets doing his espionage job.

The actress who played “Huntress” in CW’s Arrow made her debut playing a different character. They got this chick dolled up to the max. She doesn’t look anything close to what she looked like in Arrow. There is a scene with her, along with a scene with Thomas/Martha that plays at the same time, where Thomas refers to Martha as “The Huntress”. Nice little Easter Egg they put there when you watch it.

For the militants, this series is heavy on interracial, multi-ethnic(culture) thru-out. It’s mainly depicted in the background and not in your face.

For the gay agenda trackers, LGBT stuff is depicted similar as the interracial, depicted in the background. There is a romance brewing between a WW/BW. All that has been shown so far is them embracing and kissing.

The thing you gotta keep in mind is that during this time period in history, England was very progressive, while the US was still deep in “Jim Crow”.

Season is progressing nicely. Gonna try to get 2nd half done by tonight.

MV5BODk5ZmRlYjMtZDMzNS00M2Y4LTkzNWQtMThiODIyOGJkZGY5XkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMDM2NDM2MQ@@._V1_FMjpg_UX1000_.jpg
 
Season 2
Episodes 5 - 10

Finished these up last night before going to bed.

Alfred gave up his plan on going to the US.

Alfred, Thomas, Martha and Lucius teamed up working together against the Raven Union.

Martha got pregnant and gave birth. (That’s as far as I will go with that without further spoiling that storyline).

They had a nice Easter Egg with the Batmobile used in the 1966 Batman TV show.

The season went smooth. No episode came off like a filler. Season proceeded at a good pace.

3 episodes have already debuted on HBO MAX for season 3. There are 7 episodes left and they should be completed by Thanksgiving. I will try to get season 3 completed by New Years….hopefully.

Got a ton of other shit to catch up on. I still haven’t seen the last season of “Flash” or seen the movie “Maverick”. That should tell you how backed up I am with content.

HaHa!!! :cool:
 
Season 2
Episodes 5 - 10

Finished these up last night before going to bed.

Alfred gave up his plan on going to the US.

Alfred, Thomas, Martha and Lucius teamed up working together against the Raven Union.

Martha got pregnant and gave birth. (That’s as far as I will go with that without further spoiling that storyline).

They had a nice Easter Egg with the Batmobile used in the 1966 Batman TV show.

The season went smooth. No episode came off like a filler. Season proceeded at a good pace.

3 episodes have already debuted on HBO MAX for season 3. There are 7 episodes left and they should be completed by Thanksgiving. I will try to get season 3 completed by New Years….hopefully.

Got a ton of other shit to catch up on. I still haven’t seen the last season of “Flash” or seen the movie “Maverick”. That should tell you how backed up I am with content.

HaHa!!! :cool:

Same here.

Your reviews continue to be the standard bro

Thanks as always
 
Season 3
Episodes 1 - 5

Started watching these episodes this afternoon and finished this evening.

The season picks up 5 years after season 2.

I didn’t follow Batman in my years reading books in the 70s/80s. So I will assume Thomas and Martha having a daughter is from a story plot in the last couple of decades. So I’m curious to see how this story plays out.

The season is starting off with mind control being conducted by the CIA. We met Thomas Wayne’s father who is currently running Wayne Enterprises.

The episodes mainly consisted of introducing that plot along with the new characters , episode 5 looks to be moving forward with the story.

Season continues with its quirkiness tone and tongue in cheek humor.

Gonna try to finish the season tomorrow morning.
 
Season 3
Episodes 1 - 5

Started watching these episodes this afternoon and finished this evening.

The season picks up 5 years after season 2.

I didn’t follow Batman in my years reading books in the 70s/80s. So I will assume Thomas and Martha having a daughter is from a story plot in the last couple of decades. So I’m curious to see how this story plays out.

The season is starting off with mind control being conducted by the CIA. We met Thomas Wayne’s father who is currently running Wayne Enterprises.

The episodes mainly consisted of introducing that plot along with the new characters , episode 5 looks to be moving forward with the story.

Season continues with its quirkiness tone and tongue in cheek humor.

Gonna try to finish the season tomorrow morning.

Can't wait for your finished review bro

As always.

So far I think you gave a very fair assessment

The daughter at least to me?

Is new.

Completely
 
Can't wait for your finished review bro

As always.

So far I think you gave a very fair assessment

The daughter at least to me?

Is new.

Completely

Yeah, the daughter definitely put a spin onto the show.

I assume she has been introduced in the comics, I’m tempted to look it up, but will hold out until finished watching to see where they go.

Also curious if they will go into the Joker being they recently revealed he and Bruce are half brothers.

Not gonna spoil it, but what is currently going on is possibly leading to that sub-plot.
 
Yeah, the daughter definitely put a spin onto the show.

I assume she has been introduced in the comics, I’m tempted to look it up, but will hold out until finished watching to see where they go.

Also curious if they will go into the Joker being they recently revealed he and Bruce are half brothers.

Not gonna spoil it, but what is currently going on is possibly leading to that sub-plot.

I watched the whole season. It was OK. A very specific tone which I actually like when a show tries to be its own unique thing. I'm not sure where they are going. I'M still torn on if this show is good or not. But I watch it religiously and think the acting across the board top notch.

Bro I do not remember ANY sister outside MAYBE an elseworlds and even THAT I'm not sure about.

Now if the do some flip like Bruce is actually Alfie son? I wonder how the fans will react? But since Gotham never ever followed continuity anyway? I'm cool with whatever they do.
 
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