America’s premium cable network Epix is set to air a Batman prequel focusing on Bruce Wayne’s butler, housekeeper, guardian and surrogate father figure Alfred Pennyworth. The show will be set in DC Comics Universe and will shed light on Pennyworth’s early days.

According to the Hollywood Reporter, Epix has given a straight-to-series order for the show titled Pennyworth. The series will feature 10 episodes in its pilot season. Pennyworth will be based on DC characters, scripted by Gotham showrunner Bruno Heller and executive produced and directed by Danny Cannon.

The series will not have any connection to the FOX series Gotham. However, it will focus on titular character’s life as a former Special Forces officer living in London and working for Bruce Wayne’s father before his death.

Fans know Alfred has been a prominent character in Gotham and Bruce Wayne after his transformation to Batman. It is obvious Sean Pertwee, the actor who plays the role of Alfred in Gotham, may not be directly involved in the series considering that the show focuses on young Alfred’s life. The series is expected to be set in 1960s London.

“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 in a statement. “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.”

“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 added.

In more DCTV news, the DC Universe streaming service is also developing several projects one of them being Swamp Thing in development by Aquaman director James Wan and other spin-off projects concentrating on Gotham characters such as Robin in Titans.

There is no news about the casting and the release date of the series yet. Fans will have to wait a bit longer before we start learning more about Pennyworth.

Meanwhile, Gotham has been renewed for its fifth season. It happens to be the concluding season for the series coming to a close in 2019.

Source: THR