Editorial Staff
In today’s Batman-related news, a cameo from Ben Affleck’s incarnation of the Caped Crusader has been been nixed from the upcoming “The Batman”, while “Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels” alum Jason Flemying has been cast on the Alfred Pennyworth origin series.
According to our friends at Revenge of the Fans, while a younger take on the superheroic crime fighter is now the impetus of Reeves’ upcoming “The Batman”, Ben Affleck was, as recently as only a couple of weeks ago, reportedly set to cameo as his [older] version of the character. The idea didn’t make it past the captain of the ship.
“A few weeks back, it was brought to my attention that Ben Affleck and some folks within Warner Bros. were interested in getting the actor back under the cowl for Reeves’ movie. It wasn’t some sort of unanimous decision by the studio, and it wasn’t a mandate they wanted to try and strong-arm Reeves into, but I was told that Affleck and some supporters within the studio engaged the director about a long-rumored idea that would involve bookending the story of a younger Batman…with scenes featuring Affleck’s older Batman.
”Ultimately, I’m told Reeves turned down this suggestion- opting to have his film focus entirely on this younger Batman.”
Sounds like Reeves is trying to distance his film – as further as possible – from “Justice League” and “Batman vs. Superman”, while the studio still – for some inexplicable reason – want to tie it into them.
Jason Flemyng (”The Curious Case of Benjamin Button”) has joined the cast in the series regular role of villain “Lord Harwood” in the upcoming EPIX drama series “Pennyworth”. “Pennyworth” is from Warner Horizon Scripted Television and based on the characters from DC.
The 10-episode, one-hour drama series is based on DC characters created by Bob Kane with Bill Finger. It follows Bruce Wayne’s legendary butler, Alfred Pennyworth (Jack Bannon), a former British SAS soldier in his 20’s, who forms a security company and goes to work with a young billionaire Thomas Wayne (Ben Aldridge), who’s not yet Bruce’s father, in 1960s London. Multi-award-winning recording artist Paloma Faith also stars as villainess Bet Sykes.
Lord Harwood is an upper class Englishman; he’s cultured, urbane, brilliant and supremely sure of himself. His sadistic, cruel nature has a veneer of charm.
The series is currently in production at Warner Bros. Studios Leavesden, in the UK.
