Andy Serkis in Talks to Play Alfred in The Batman

Matt Reeves is wasting no time getting his Gotham City put together. Robert Pattinson is going to be playing Bruce Wayne in The Batman, and the young crimefighter is about to have his wise butler/mentor locked in. According to The Wrap, Black Panther and Lord of the Rings star Andy Serkis has been cast to play Alfred Pennyworth in the upcoming film. After a villainous turn in Black Panther last year, Serkis is looking for a role with the protagonists once again.

Many fans have hoped (and theorized) that Serkis would end up with some sort of role in Reeves’ Batman films. The two have worked together quite a bit in previous years, as Serkis starred as Caesar in Dawn of the Planet of the Apes and War for the Planet of the Apes, both of which were directed by Reeves.

If Serkis indeed signs on to The Batman, he’ll join an already star-studded cast that fans have been getting more and more excited about with each announcement. Pattinson is portraying the Dark Knight himself, with Zoe Kravitz cast as Selina Kyle, aka Catwoman, Paul Dano as The Riddler, and Jeffrey Wright as Jim Gordon.

Reeves has confirmed each and every casting so far by tweeting a gif of that actor from his personal Twitter account. Until he does the same with Serkis, nothing about the Alfred role is totally official.

This role could also cause issues for Serkis, as he has another major comic book project on the way. After helming Mowgli: Legend of the Jungle, Serkis was hired by Sony to direct Tom Hardy and Woody Harrelson in Venom 2, which will likely shoot early next year, potentially causing some overlap with The Batman. If Alfred’s role is small enough it may not matter, but it’s certainly something to keep an eye on as both projects prepare for production.

What do you think of The Batman‘s latest casting? Will Serkis make a good Alfred Pennyworth? Let us know in the comments!

The Batman hits theaters on June 25, 2021.