Alfred Pennyworth in the reboot

[Uroboric Forms]

For an old Alfred

Someone get this man a moustache

 

[regwec]

Heh, Sir Roger really would be a little too old. He can barely move his face these days.

 

[Two-Face]

I don't think he acts anymore.

 

[Rodrigo90]

I was watching The Lawnmower Man last night, and I honestly love the way Pierce handles himself in a fatherly way.

I'd honestly love it if he was considered. Brings his genuine fatherly ways and his dry and cool wits, he's the perfect Alfred.

 

[EssayM]

Sean Connery maybe?

 

[Rodrigo90]

Maybe not

 

[regwec]

Of all the former Bonds, Dalton would be my pick. He plays dramatic roles, action roles, and comedic roles very well, and with the pencil moustache he looks exactly like the Alfred of the comics.

From Hott Fuzz, which everyone should see:

 

[Rodrigo90]

Dalton would be decent.

But it's Pierce's natural fatherly vibe that interests me most.

It's why I can't understand the picks of Rickman and Nighy....do you see them comforting a broken child? Nah.

 

[Two-Face]

Rickman would do great job as Alfred!

 

[Rodrigo90]

One aspect of the character perhaps

Two is a different story

 

[NosfeRomas]

Adam West !

 

[shauner111]

Dalton would be decent.

But it's Pierce's natural fatherly vibe that interests me most.

It's why I can't understand the picks of Rickman and Nighy....do you see them comforting a broken child? Nah.

To be honest, you don't know until you give them a chance. All you have to do is look at the casting for Gary Oldman for Gordon. That was an actor who only played psychopaths his whole career. A fantastic actor and I wasn't around during those days, but I bet people were weirded out by the casting because he was "opposite" for that vibe.

Rickman, McDowell, etc could all take the role and give it warmth if that's what is written for them. Theyre tremendous actors and great actors can adapt.

But I still love the idea of Pierce Brosnan or Timothy Daulton.

 

[TruerToTheCore]

I'd leave out Alfred for the first movie and use the Post-Crisis Leslie Thompkins version instead. It would be different. This would also a female role, too.

Alfred can appear in the sequel.

 

[Two-Face]

No you can't leave Alfred out.

 

[TruerToTheCore]

WHy not?

 

[Rodrigo90]

Because...Alfred is always around?

Where's he gone? On a little holiday?

 

[TruerToTheCore]

Because...Alfred is always around?

Where's he gone? On a little holiday?

Entering Bruce Wayne's life after he became Batman?

 

[Two-Face]

Alfred always been around since birth of Bruce Wayne, it wouldn't make sense.

 

[TruerToTheCore]

Alfred always been around since birth of Bruce Wayne, it wouldn't make sense.

Not from 1939 - 1987, I'm sorry.

 

[Two-Face]

Pre-Crisis isn't it? I don't know much about. I wouldn't like if Alfred was left out just to be different.

 

[NosfeRomas]

Because it happened in the comics it doesn't mean is good or that it should happen on film. I would never watch a Batman movie without Alfred. He is the one who reminds Bruce of his limits, he is a father figure, a doctor, a friend and a colleague.

He is a source of information and if you include Robin, a great co-conspirator.

 

[Shikamaru]

Not from 1939 - 1987, I'm sorry.

Yes, not in the Silver Age of DC Comics. The age known for its cheesy storytelling, inconsistencies and two-dimensional characters.

The reboot, like almost all Batman adaptations these days, will be based off the Post-Crisis Batman. Alfred was there from the beginning and that is a crucial part of the Batman mythos and of the Batman/Alfred relationship.

 

[TruerToTheCore]

Pre-Crisis isn't it? I don't know much about. I wouldn't like if Alfred was left out just to be different.

Yes. But please... don't try to do something different! Same sauce every day!

Because it happened in the comics it doesn't mean is good or that it should happen on film. I would never watch a Batman movie without Alfred.

THat's pretty stubborn. And probably not true.

He is the one who reminds Bruce of his limits, he is a father figure, a doctor, a friend and a colleague.

I'd say you can introduce Leslie Thompkins for it, post-crisis style. ANd of course, Commissionar James W. Gordon.

He is a source of information and if you include Robin, a great co-conspirator.

Well, I am a little bit sick and tired of sarcastical Alfred who needs to put down Batman all the time. I'd prefer to see him like a loyal servant not a one-liner machine and guilty conscience of Batman for once.

Yes, not in the Silver Age of DC Comics. The age known for its cheesy storytelling, inconsistencies and two-dimensional characters.

In the timeline I count Golden Age, Silver Age, Bronze Age, even to some degree.. Modern Age.

The reboot, like almost all Batman adaptations these days, will be based off the Post-Crisis Batman. Alfred was there from the beginning and that is a crucial part of the Batman mythos and of the Batman/Alfred relationship.

It isn't crucial. On the contrary, it's kinda non-sense. Why would the butler take charge of the kid? Pre-Crisis it was his Uncle Philipp who was an alcoholic. Makes sense that this would pave the way for Batman instead of post-crisis were he has a surrogate father AND a surrogate mother.

We've seen this in BTAS, Burton's Batman, Nolan's Batman... Why not do something different here? Alfred was prominent enough in the Nolan trilogy.

The best Batman period IMO is the 80s and that is before Miller's influence started to creep into the Batman books.

... wait a minute, usually I don't respond to people who don't have a clue and think that "IT'S TOO SILVER AGE" can be used as a sort of winning argument.

But I did.

 

[Batmoan]

Alan Rickman couldn't play Alfred, unless Alfred snaps and becomes a villain...

 

[Shikamaru]

In the timeline I count Golden Age, Silver Age, Bronze Age, even to some degree.. Modern Age.

They all take place in separate timelines though.

It isn't crucial. On the contrary, it's kinda non-sense. Why would the butler take charge of the kid? Pre-Crisis it was his Uncle Philipp who was an alcoholic. Makes sense that this would pave the way for Batman instead of post-crisis were he has a surrogate father AND a surrogate mother.

We've seen this in BTAS, Burton's Batman, Nolan's Batman... Why not do something different here? Alfred was prominent enough in the Nolan trilogy.

I don't like the idea of changing things just for the sake of being different. Alfred being Bruce's butler since childhood and a surrogate father has been a great idea that has worked since its inception IMO. If it ain't broke, don't fix it. There are a few basic elements of the Batman mythos that have to stay intact when doing an adaptation based on the Post-Crisis/Modern Batman and Alfred is one of them. I also wouldn't consider a lack of Alfred to be staying original or keeping things fresh. There is almost an unlimited number of ways in which you can keep things fresh and not revisit old ground. It is unnecessary to take out someone as vital as Alfred.

Alfred is very crucial to Batman and more specifically, the Batman/Alfred relationship is. Alfred has always been the one in full support of Bruce and his war on crime. He never gave up on him even when he would screw up nor did he even agree with Bruce's war on crime originally. Nevertheless, he was always there for him even when everyone else gave up on him. It would be pointless to bring in Alfred in a sequel if that father/son relationship is not there in the first place. Alfred is also does a lot of the technical work in the batcave, fixes up a lot of Batman's wounds and is a father figure to the Robins. Alfred also played a part in Bruce Wayne's decision to adopt all the Robins that he adopted. Whenever Alfred and Bruce have a talk about what he is to the Robins, Bruce always brings up in some way or another that he wouldn't have known what he would have done if Alfred wasn't there for him when he was a kid. Finally, the Batman/Alfred relationship has always had a tragic side to it. A part of Alfred is in horrible regret of seeing Bruce turn into the monster he's become. Alfred has known Bruce since he was a baby. He has witnessed his transformation from an innocent child to a cold calculative demon. Batman is essentially a monster in human form (metaphorically speaking).

Alfred is no ordinary butler. The Waynes always considered him to be a part of the family. It makes sense why Thomas would entrust his son to Alfred as opposed letting Social Services take him to an alcoholic.

The best Batman period IMO is the 80s and that is before Miller's influence started to creep into the Batman books.

... wait a minute, usually I don't respond to people who don't have a clue and think that "IT'S TOO SILVER AGE" can be used as a sort of winning argument.

But I did.

My favorite Batman periods are the 80's and 90's. In my head though, Batman comics officially start for me with the Dennis O'Neil stuff at the start of the Bronze Age and have been consistently great since then. There are selective things from the Silver Age that I like (and also from the Golden Age) but for the most part, I am not fond of the Silver Age overall. On top of the cheesy tone, I find most DC Silver Age stories to be poorly written and the characters to be mostly two-dimensional. Way too many of their characters lack character, follow the cliche "I am a superhero in tights and I fight bad guys!" formula and have interchangeable personalities. My opinion seems to be in the minority though.

That's not to say that nothing good came out of the Silver Age. I do give credit to the Silver Age for setting up some basic yet important character traits that are still around today for a lot of DC's characters. However, I don't think it is an age that necessarily has to be revisited.