Jeremy Irons had a lot to live up to when taking on the mantle of Alfred Pennyworth for the new series of Batman/Batman-related movies. Michael Caine won audiences' hearts with his version in the Christopher Nolan movies, and Irons really had to drive it home in order to sell this different version we saw in BVS. Needless to say he shot and scored, taking his job very seriously like the pro he is and giving Alfred a sense of world-weariness to compliment Ben Affleck's Batman. Now we have more Alfred to look forward to, and Irons shed a bit of light on the future of the character.
While promoting his new movie, THE MAN WHO KNEW INFINITY, with Variety Irons talked about playing Batman/Bruce Wayne’s butler in the DCEU, and what kind of man he thinks Pennyworth is. But, more importantly, he spoke to his presence in the upcoming BATMAN movie (and JUSTICE LEAGUE), and if there will be more of him than in BATMAN V. SUPERMAN:
“Similar, but then, of course, Ben’s going to make a Batman film next summer. He promises me there’s going to be a bit more of Alfred in that. In the Justice League we have seven major lead characters and I’m the butler to one of them. It’s clear I will not be dominating that film.”
He then told a story about a party he attended at his neighbor’s house to emphasize the kind of man Pennyworth is in relation to his duties as the hero's servant.
“I remember an evening with Paul Getty, who was a neighbor of mine, now sadly dead. We drove up to his lovely house. A very nice gentleman opened up the car door. Then another very nice gentleman took the car and parked it somewhere. Another nice gentleman took my coat. And then another nice gentleman gave me a glass of champagne. And all those nice gentleman were SAS. I thought, that’s Alfred. He’s a man who will take care of his boss, whether he’s making coffee or pouring champagne or flying his airplane.”
And, of course, he was asked about the less-than-favorable critic reviews for BVS:
“I was very pleased by the numbers. Zack seems to get a hard time from the press, which is strange. I don’t know if it has to do with the sort of secrecy that surrounds the making of it all. But the audience liked it, which in the end is all that matters.”
Michael Caine will always be my Alfred, but I do like what Irons did with the character in BVS. Like Affleck’s Batman he’s a bit more battle-worn and seems to have more to do than Caine’s version, whether it be working on gadgets for Bats or simply being more physically spry than previous incarnations of the character. Plus, it’s nice to see him out of the classic butler uniform. Although he talks as if he won't be in JUSTICE LEAGUE much as compared to the new BATMAN movie, I’m excited to see more of him in any and all upcoming films, and am interested to see how his relationship with Bruce develops as the series goes on. Much like Caine, I don’t think he wants to bury another member of the Wayne family. Sounds better if you say in Caine's voice…
Catch Irons alongside Michael Fassbender in ASSASSIN'S CREED on December 21.