While many iterations of Bruce Wayne (Batman Beyond, a good proportion of Dark Knight Rises) have him without his trusted butler, its imperative that any reimagining of the character includes Mr. Pennyworth. Alfred isnt simply a character who stitches up wounds and cooks meals, hes Batmans foundation. With many philosophical differences between the two superheroes, opportunities for the mostly insular Bruce Wayne to express his motivations will be few and far between. This is where Alfred is at his most effective, discussing with and challenging the views of his surrogate son. With the aforementioned filming taking place, it seems highly likely that Batmans support system will be involved in some capacity. That obviously turns our attentions to casting and who would fit the role of the English butler. A mock up trailer released months ago suggested Jeremy Irons and names like Sam Neill have been mentioned by the fan community. Whoever ends up playing Alfred Pennyworth, lets hope the essence of the character shines through and gives the grounding Ben Afflecks Batman will sorely need.