Alfred Pennyworth star Andy Serkis has one specific request for The Batman 2's superhero story. The first film in Matt Reeves' The Batman saga debuted Serkis' take on the classic DC comics character, serving as the guardian to the orphaned billionaire-turned-masked vigilante Bruce Wayne/Batman (played by Robert Pattinson). Despite Alfred's best intentions, Bruce has continually put himself in harm's way, something the Wayne family butler has had to come to terms with.
While on stage for his panel at Fan Expo Philadelphia 2025 (via FandomWire), Serkis briefly discussed the next movie in Reeves' The Batman series, admitting that he hopes the 2027 sequel leans into the Bruce-Alfred dynamic even deeper than before. Though Alfred served mainly as an ally in Bruce Wayne's crime-fighting activities, that might not be the case in the upcoming sequel, as he grapples with the cost of Bruce Wayne's Batman pursuits
"[Alfred is the] guardian who has not an iota of paternal instinct him, trying to be a father he could never be" for Robert Pattinson's Bruce Wayne, the Batman star posited, adding that he would "would love to see that [relationship] taken to the extreme" in the next movie:
"What I loved about what Matt [Reeves] created in the last one was this sense of a guardian who has not an iota of paternal instinct him, trying to be a father he could never be. And that was really at the core of their relationship. He really felt he had failed the one person that he adores and tries to look after. He knows how to help him in terms of skills and in terms of cracking cones, and how to fight, and all of those things from being a soldier, from being in the military in his past.
But the one thing that he fails to do is to have a real proper paternal feeling for him. And I would like to see the exploration of that deeply and go further. I mean, I don’t know anything about the story or where Matt’s taking him, but I would love to see that taken to the extreme, but in a more extreme situation."
Serkis is set to return as Alfred Pennyworth in the upcoming Batman sequel, being one of the few confirmed cast members already announced for the new movie. However, with script updates on the title still scarce, Alfred's role in the film's gritty crime story has not yet been disclosed and will likely remain that way for some time.
The Batman - Part II will once again be written and directed by Matt Reeves, picking up the story of Robert Pattinson's Bruce Wayne/Batman as he fully comes into his own as the masked savior of Gotham City. The movie was once set for an October 2025 release date but has since been pushed to October 1, 2027. After months without official news on the DC Elseworlds sequel, fans recently got an update from DC Studios co-CEO Peter Safran, who revealed a script is seemingly set to be turned in by the end of May.
How Could Andy Serkis Get His Batman 2 Dream?
With Andy Serkis' The Batman 2 wishes known, there is a chance they may come to fruition.
That is not to say Matt Reeves will hear these new quotes and change course for what he had planned for the next Batman movie, but rather, he may have had something similar to what Serkis was pitching planned the whole time.
Coming into The Batman 2's story, Robert Pattinson's Bruce Wayne has accepted his role as the Guardian of Gotham and put aside his mandate of vengeance, embracing being a full-blown symbol of hope.
However, what a fun twist in their dynamic if Alfred finally wanted to embrace his role as Bruce's guardian/protector right as the young Wayne heir had a change of heart about how he would go about his Batman-based activities.
While Alfred turned a blind eye to Bruce spending his night beating criminals senseless in the first Batman film, Andy Serkis' DC character leaning into his parental role in the sequel could put Alfred and Bruce at odds in a fascinating way.
The film could then explore the tensions between the two as Bruce finally understands the hero he needs to be for Gotham City, while Alfred questions if Batman is worth his young ward putting his life on the line.
