'Gotham' Showrunner Making Another Batman Prequel TV Series
Gotham may be coming to an end, but the Batman prequel TV shows are far from over, [...]
Gotham may be coming to an end, but the Batman prequel TV shows are far from over, apparently.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Gotham showrunner Bruno Heller is set to produce a new series called Pennyworth, focusing on the backstory of Bruce Wayne's beloved butler. Epix has handed Pennyworth a 10-episode, straight to series order.
This will be the first DC Comics series on Epix, the network responsible for Get Shorty and Berlin Station.
While a show about a butler may sound boring on the surface, that won't be the case, as Pennyworth will focus on the character long before Bruce was ever born.
The series will take place in 1960s London, where Alfred serves as a former British SAS soldier who forms a secret company and joins forces with a rich and powerful American, Thomas Wayne.
While the series is produced by Gotham boss Heller, along with co-executive producer Danny Cannon, Pennyworth will be a completely separate universe. Sean Pertwee, who plays Alfred on Gotham, is not involved.
"As genuine fans of these classic DC characters, as well as the incredibly talented Bruno Heller and Danny Cannon, we couldn't be more excited to make Epix the home of this series," Epix president Michael Wright said. "We can't wait to work with Bruno and Danny — along with Peter Roth, Susan Rovner, Brett Paul and the team at Warner Horizon — on this fantastic origin story."
Heller, who has an overall deal with Warner Bros., is finishing up his run on Gotham with a 13 episode final season, set to air on FOX in early 2019.
"Michael and his colleagues have created the perfect venue for original storytelling, and all of us working on Pennyworth are thrilled to be on the Epix slate," Heller and Cannon said in a joint statement.
Are you excited for another Batman prequel series? Will Alfred's backstory be an interesting one to learn about? Let us know what you think by dropping a line in the comments below!
Gotham's Season 4 finale, "A Dark Knight: No Man's Land," is set to air on Thursday, May 17 at 8pm ET on FOX.