The new version of Batman that we’re going to see in Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice is expected to be somewhat different than the one that we’ve seen on screen in recent years. One of the ways in which this will be conveyed is in the part of Alfred. Jeremy Irons' version of Bruce Wayne’s faithful butler won’t simply be a man keeping a secret, but a much more involved partner in the endeavor. Now, it turns out one of the reasons that Alfred won’t be a simple butler is that there’s no Wayne Manor for him to work in.
We learned about a year ago that the plans for Wayne Manor in this film were for it to be a condemned wreck, rather than the lavish mansion that it is usually portrayed as. Jeremy Irons has confirmed to Empire Magazine that nobody lives there in the film because the building is burnt out, though the reason that it’s in such a state is conveniently not mentioned. (We have our own theories.) Instead, Alfred’s home in the movie is described as a "sleek lakeside residence." That Wayne money. Houses for days.
It may be nothing, but the Empire story specifically states that Alfred lives in the lakeside residence. It makes no specific reference that Bruce Wayne also lives there. It’s possible that Ben Affleck’s character may live someplace else. As this Bruce Wayne appears to possibly be more obsessive than his predecessors, it’s possible he’s taken up permanent residence in the Batcave. We’re also assuming that the Batcave is still functional underneath the burnt out wreck of Wayne Manor. It’s also possible that it exists elsewhere.
Jeremy Irons also promises to be a more "hands-on" Alfred in this movie, as he intimates in the interview that his character will have some sort of previous special forces training that will make him useful in a fight, even if he doesn’t necessarily agree that the one Batman is picking with Superman is the best call. It looks like the new film may be borrowing a page from the Gotham playbook, as the background for Irons character sounds similar to the version that Sean Pertwee portrays on the television series.
Between the changes to Wayne Manor and Alfred, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice is set up to be a unique take on the Caped Crusader. We’re looking forward to getting to know this new Alfred, and hopefully seeing him kick some butt.
