While Fox may soon be exiting the city of Gotham, Epix is just entering Batman’s territory.
The premium cable network has placed a 10-episode, straight-to-series order for “Pennyworth,” a DC origin story from “Gotham” boss Bruno Heller, it was announced Wednesday.
The series follows Bruce Wayne’s butler, Alfred Pennyworth, a former British SAS soldier who forms a security company and goes to work with Thomas Wayne, Bruce’s billionaire father, in 1960’s London.
“As genuine fans of these classic DC characters, as well as the incredibly talented Bruno Heller and Danny Cannon, we couldn’t be more excited to make Epix the home of this series,” Michael Wright, president, Epix, said. “We can’t wait to work with Bruno and Danny – along with Peter Roth, Susan Rovner, Brett Paul and the team at Warner Horizon – on this fantastic origin story.”
News of the Epix series comes on the heels of Fox’s announcement it had renewed Heller’s”Gotham” for a fifth season — but it’ll be the last. This final run will wrap up the origin story of the DC Comics super-villains, studio Warner Bros. promised on Sunday.
“The final season will focus on Bruce Wayne’s transformation into the caped crusader,” Fox said in announcing its Season 5 news.
“Pennyworth” hails from Warner Horizon Scripted Television, with Heller writing and executive producing, and Danny Cannon set to take an EP credit and direct. The series is based on DC characters created by Bob Kane with Bill Finger.