Despite Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum scheduling conflicts, Andy Serkis will return as Alfred in The Batman 2: "I'm pretty certain it's all going to work out"

It looks like Andy Serkis will be splitting his time between Middle-earth and Gotham City, as he's confirmed to return as Alfred Pennyworth in The Batman 2.

“I'm pretty certain it’s all going to work out. Yeah, we're working on it, but I think it's all looking good," Serkis told Collider. The actor and filmmaker also told Screen Rant that he "won’t be joining them immediately, but by the end of the year, I will be."

Serkis portrayed Bruce Wayne's trusty old Butler in The Batman (and I say 'old' as a figure of speech, because Serkis was much younger than Michael Caine's Alfred in Batman Begins). The sequel to the hit film had an initial release date of October 2025, which means production was meant to start in 2023/2024. Colin Farrell is set to return as Oz Cobblepot, aka The Penguin, with Jeffrey Wright as Commissioner Jim Gordon. Scarlett Johansson and Sebastian Stan have joined the cast, too: Johansson in a mystery role, and Stan as Two-Face.

Before Serkis returns to the cold, wet, and crime-ridden city of Gotham, he has to head on over to New Zealand to begin production on The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum. Serkis is set to direct and reprise his role as Gollum, who spends the story being hunted down by Aragorn at Gandalf's command.

The Batman 2 is set to (finally) hit theaters on October 1, 2027. The Hunt for Gollum is set to premiere on December 17, 2027. For more, check out our ranking of the best Batman movies, and keep up with upcoming DC movies coming your way.