Pennyworth Season 3 Is A Super Dramatic Season For Batman's Parents [NYCC]
Did you know that Batman's famous and devout Butler, Alfred Pennyworth, has his own spy show on HBO Max (after airing on Epix) from the creators of "Gotham"? And it's on season 3? Maybe the recent extended retitling of "Pennyworth" to "Pennyworth: The Origins of Batman's Butler" could alert you to that.
In 1960s London with alternative sameish-but-different history, former British SAS soldier, Alfred Pennyworth (Jack Bannon) sought to found his own security company. He later ends up working for young billionaire Thomas Wayne. In season 2, Thomas Wayne (Ben Aldridge) marries Martha Kane (Emma Paetz) and she gives birth to their daughter (in a curveball for Batman fans who were expecting to see Bruce Wayne sooner). Last season, a civil war ended, and season 3 is making a five-year time jump into the '70s.
/Film writer Caroline Cao sat with executive producers and co-showrunners Bruno Heller and John Stephens, Jack Bannon, and Ben Aldridge to learn more about season 3.
So why the time jump of five years?
"We wanted a different feel," answered Stephens. Now that the show is in the '70s, the psychedelic age will play a major role in the proceedings. Also, Stephens said, it's just easier to not work with a baby on set — now that they've aged up the Waynes' daughter, Samantha.
What's up with Alfred Pennyworth?
What's next in store for our titular Pennyworth, Batman's Butler? Well, not surprisingly, more violence considering his soldier past. Starting in season 1, Alfred was reluctant to conduct any killing but his relationship with violence grew more complicated. "It's in him. Unfortunately [violence ] is what he's good at," shared Jack Bannon. In season 3, he drawn over to keep working for Thomas Wayne.
But Bannon said Alfred does get a little softer and his nurturing side will come out.
"We see him interact with a lot of children. He's like 'I don't like babies.' But [the Wayne daughter] has a key role in his softening by the end of this season. He's wary of her at first. She nicked one of his teddy bear and it's a great scene that features my ad-libbing."
Bannon also revealed, "There's a moment where we see an early version of a grappling gun which is very Batman."
Keeping up with the Waynes
Thomas's marriage to Martha Wayne will remain tricky and tested. Regarding Martha Wane, Bruno Heller said, "The world is sexist entity, if that's the right word. [Martha] is the mother of Batman. She's vengeful, angry, she wants to seek revenge." He added that they make a great team with "Thomas is the judicious forensic ... and combine that with Alfred's streetwise skills with fighting.
For Thomas Wayne, he also has a contentious relationship with his father, Patrick Wayne. "As in the comic books we see [Bruce and Thomas's] slightly cold and distant relationship. We learned in the series, season 3, that it's inherited," shared Ben Aldridge. Although Thomas is a do-gooder aspiring to be a doctor, Patrick Wayne threatens to drag Thomas "back to the corrupt side of the Wayne Enterprise."
Aldridge promises a super dramatic season for Thomas: "He has to make some really tough choices... There is something major that Thomas does that I didn't see coming."
The actor also shared this tidbit: "A really cool moment is that we end up in Gotham. We actually used the same sets with [the most recent] "Batman."... So that's a little nice cross-pollination of the Batman movies."
Season 3 of "Pennyworth" is available on HBO Max.