Back in 2016, as Gotham was taking off, yet another Bat-prequel series was being floated: Pennyworth, about the early life of Batman’s badass butler Alfred. And, apparently the appetite for DC prequel series is unstoppable: As Krypton plays out on Syfy, and Gotham gets a final season on Fox, Pennyworth will turn up on Epix.
According to the Hollywood Reporter, the ten-episode series, from Gotham mastermind Bruno Heller, isn’t tied to the aforementioned gore-happy corruption drama, but instead will be its own thing, picking up on the version of Alfred who’s a tough-as-nails former SAS man. Teaming up with Thomas Wayne (i.e. Bat-Dad), Alfred runs a secret private security service in swinging ’60s London. In other words, it’s Steed and Peel with more Bat-jokes and fewer catsuits. Well, unless they decide to use Catwoman.
DC has a lot of TV series in the pipe, including several like fellow prequel series Metropolis heading straight to its own streaming service DC Universe, but this is the first to appear on a premium cable network. It won’t be the last, of course, as HBO has Watchmen coming, but it illustrates just how effective DC has been at taking over the airwaves. Really, all that’s missing is the Wonder Woman prequel series. Come on, DC, what’s holding up Themiscyra?
(via The Hollywood Reporter)
