Alfred Pennyworth in the reboot

[Rodrigo90]

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

Thank ****ing you

 

[shauner111]

Haha maybe. But with that state of mind Gary Oldman should have never been considered for Gordon.

 

[Rodrigo90]

True

But you can you imagine Rickman ever being a man you'd want comforting you in your youth after your parents were iced and you were spooked by flying rats? Seriously?

 

[shauner111]

Im laughing pretty hard right now. Ahhh Rickman. Well, Rickman as we see him yeah for sure hahaha. But Oldman as anyone knew him going into Batman Begins, there would be NO way. He was much worse than Rickman. It would be like "good cop, clean, family man, putting a coat around a young boy's shoulders?? I DONT THINK SO! He would yell at young Bruce, throw the coat in the bin, stick a gun to his head. Then he would be sniffing coke with Flass and shooting him in the head when he's got his fix". Then he would be revealed as the Joker at the very end in a crazy twist!

 

[Rodrigo90]

...but Rickman comforting you?

Oldman prior to BB, yeah he was a nut lol

I should give Rickman a chance in mind, but right now, he's a grotchity old bore, who shouldn't be allowed around damaged young children. ..look at Harry Potter

 

[EssayM]

Well, as long as we're looking at HP actors, maybe Michael Gambon (second Dumbledore)? Or John Hurt?

 

[TruerToTheCore]

They all take place in separate timelines though.

Well, Golden, Silver and Bronze Age were basically the same timeline.

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.

I think that Batman without a father figure would be a good new, old thing. Also you could show Alfred trying to earn the trust of Batman.

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.

Why should Social Services know that his uncle is an alcoholic?

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.

Well, Bronze Age isn't nearly as dark as most people tend to think. With your taste I doubt you'd like major Bronze Age writers like David V. Reed, Frank Robbins, Bob Haney and even Len Wein.

And what do you mean with 80s? Have you ever read the works of Mike W. Barr, Alan Grant, Jim Starlin, Doug Moench, Gerry Conway?

 

[regwec]

Bruce Wayne is not an inherently likeable or warm character. Alfred provides 90% of what allows the audience to relate to and sympathize with Batman. He is the moral barometer. A Batman movie without him would be poorer for his absence.

 

[GREEN =w= DAY]

Alan Rickman or Timothy Dalton for Alfred

 

[Blitzkrieg Bop]

Alfred is the only person who kept/keeps Bruce Wayne from becoming a psychopath. Their trusted bond is something Bruce needs in his early years.

 

[Batmoan]

True

But you can you imagine Rickman ever being a man you'd want comforting you in your youth after your parents were iced and you were spooked by flying rats? Seriously?

I'd be concerned that Hans Gruber was my butler.

 

[Rodrigo90]

Yipee ki yay, Muth****a...sorry sir...where are my detonators?...tea sir?

 

[TruerToTheCore]

Alfred is the only person who kept/keeps Bruce Wayne from becoming a psychopath. Their trusted bond is something Bruce needs in his early years.

What kind of Batman have you read? And BTW, he is a fictional character, the author defines what happens. I wonder how pre-crisis Batman didn't become a psychopath then...

Bruce Wayne is not an inherently likeable or warm character.

Since when and why is he so popular then?

Alfred provides 90% of what allows the audience to relate to and sympathize with Batman. He is the moral barometer. A Batman movie without him would be poorer for his absence.

Narrow-mindedness.

 

[shauner111]

I don't like the idea of no Alfred. I mean, im open minded so id probably be intrigued. But I just think it's necessary for Bruce Wayne scenes. He can't be running Wayne Enterprises, taking care of Wayne Manor AND going out as Batman at night. Plus the interaction is key. Alfred brings light to Bruce's darkness with his banter. Without Alfred it would feel too cold and quite boring.

 

[TruerToTheCore]

I don't like the idea of no Alfred. I mean, im open minded so id probably be intrigued. But I just think it's necessary for Bruce Wayne scenes. He can't be running Wayne Enterprises, taking care of Wayne Manor AND going out as Batman at night. Plus the interaction is key. Alfred brings light to Bruce's darkness with his banter. Without Alfred it would feel too cold and quite boring.

Well, Bruce Wayne could have... regular employees that take care of Wayne Manor?

 

[Uroboric Forms]

Yipee ki yay, Muth****a...sorry sir...where are my detonators?...tea sir?

"Now I have a penguin army. Ho... ho... ho."

 

[shauner111]

Well, Bruce Wayne could have... regular employees that take care of Wayne Manor?

Why are you so adamant about not using Alfred? He's an essential piece of the puzzle like with Gordon. Without Alfred they could fall into a trap of making Bruce and his surroundings too silent or too boring. There shouldn't be regular employees all over Wayne Manor when Alfred should be taking care of it. Too much of a risk when there's a secret batcave underneath, etc. There needs to be that balance between Bruce and Alfred, or else it becomes one-note.

Without the warmth and humor that Alfred brings to a colder Bruce, it becomes unbearable to watch. Batman Returns already suffered from that cold portrayal, imagine if Alfred wasn't there during the Bruce or Bruce/Selina scenes?? That would suck.

 

[Rodrigo90]

"Now I have a penguin army. Ho... ho... ho."

"The following people are to be released from their captors: In Northern Gotham, the one hundred members of The League Of Shadows. In Eastern Gotham, the five imprisoned leaders of The Court Of Owls. In Southern Gotham, the nine members of The Red Triangle Circus Gang -"

"What the ****?"

"I read about them in Time Magazine"

 

[Two-Face]

Well, Bruce Wayne could have... regular employees that take care of Wayne Manor?

Why would Bruce have regular employees when he can trust Alfred?

 

[regwec]

Since when and why is he so popular then?

Because you don't need to relate to someone to find them interesting, and because, as I said a few words after the sentence quoted, Alfred helps us to relate to Batman by providing an emotional context.

Narrow-mindedness.

No, you have laid out your opinion, which I find to be without merit. I have responded with mine, which you seem to think is similarly flawed. We are both taking the same approach to this discussion, so there is no need to resort to name-calling.

 

[shauner111]

Taking Alfred away and then using an excuse saying "cmon people, we need originality!" means that you don't understand what makes Bruce Wayne work, or what balance means, AND you're not being creative enough yourself. Because if you have to strip Alfred away in order to make something original out of a Batman story then you're lacking something to begin with.

 

[Rodrigo90]

The fact is...They wouldn't not include, Alfred. Period.

 

[shauner111]

It will never happen. The general audience (not counting fans) would complain. Theyre so used to adoring the character through Michael Gough and Michael Caine. It's something everybody will get excited for. The casting of the new Alfred.

 

[The Guard]

Why would Bruce have regular employees when he can trust Alfred?

Because taking care of a mansion is a lot of work. See ANNIE.

 

[Rodrigo90]

Alfred is a working machine, man!