When it comes to superhero origin stories, it's hard to think of on more iconic than Batman's. After watching his parents gunned down while he was a child, Bruce Wayne grows up to become a masked vigilante determined to take the streets of Gotham back from the criminal scum that has polluted it. What's cooler and more compelling than that? Epix found a way by looking at Alfred Pennyworth's history. Yes, that Alfred--Batman's butler.

　　The first full-length trailer for Pennyworth, the upcoming Epix series, has arrived. It shows Alfred has an even wilder ride in his younger years than expected. The mild-mannered butler and former military hero also, seemingly, had a history as something of a high-level security guard and detective before coming to the United States. And coincidentally, that piece of his past is what first brought him into Thomas Wayne's life, long before Bruce was born.

　　The two-minute trailer sets the stage for what looks to be an exciting and very British action-packed period drama that, if we're honest, probably doesn't need a connection to the larger DC universe to make it work. That said, the small threads in the trailer that hint at Alfred's future are fun to see.

　　Pennyworth hails from executive producers Bruno Heller and Danny Cannon, who recently wrapped up Fox's Gotham--which told the story of a young Bruce Wayne. In the new series, The Imitation Game's Jack Bannon stars as Alfred, while Fleabag's Ben Aldrige plays Thomas Wayne. Rounding out the cast are Emma Corin as Alfred's love interest Esme, Paloma Faith as the villainous, and perhaps demented, Bet Sykes, and Ryan Fletcher as Alfred's chump Dave Boy.

　　Pennyworth premieres July 28 on Epix.