Speaking to reporters over at Collider, The Batman cinematographer Greig Fraser says the upcoming DCEU film will focus on the relationship between Bruce Wayne and his butler, Alfred Pennyworth.
Alfred has starred in pretty much every major adaptation of the hero, whether animated or live-action. In past projects, however, the butler typically played a supporting role. This time, though, Fraser claims that’s not the case.
“It is a character based movie about the characters,” Fraser said, “about Andy Serkis’ character and Robert Pattinson’s character.” Serkis, best known for his motion capture roles as Gollum in The Lord of the Rings franchise as well as Caesar in the Planet of the Apes series, is much younger than most actors who’ve played Alfred in the past, indicating his role will be more assertive than reactive.
After Bruce’s parents were killed, Alfred became not just a butler, but a caretaker. Filling the void left behind by Bruce’s father, Thomas, he was hugely influential in shaping the young heir’s defining characteristics, including his resourcefulness and sense of justice.
The Batman will not be a continuation of the story set up in Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice or Justice League. Rather, director Matt Reeves, who worked alongside Serkis on the Planet of the Apes trilogy, is intending to create a mythology of his own. Basing his story on a popular comic book arc known as The Long Halloween, he promises a tale that will not feature big ideas so much as an interesting and incredibly diverse cast of characters, including members of the Bat family as well as the Caped Crusader’s rogues gallery.
The Batman is set to release in October 2021. Like many blockbusters, however, the date could be subject to change due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, which has halted film and television production around the globe.
