The failure of not one, but two big-budget Robin Hood movies should make me worried aboutHugh Jackman’s upcoming retelling, butThe Death Of Robin Hoodsounds too intriguing for me to discount the movie just yet. Robin Hood is arguably one of the most perennially popular folk heroes in history. An outlaw who stole from the rich to give to the poor, Robin Hood is the sort of charismatic antihero that almost any director could turn into a roguish protagonist.
Despite this, even though over19 actors have played Robin Hoodthroughout the decades, the name is almost as synonymous with big-budget failures as beloved folk tales. Disney’s light-hearted animated take on the character, recast as a charming fox, was a big hit in 1973. However, Kevin Costner’s star vehicleRobin Hood: Prince of Thievesfailed to impress critics in 1991, and the character’s fortunes only deteriorated from there. 2010’sRidley Scott/Russell Crowe collaborationRobin Hoodunder-performed financially and flopped critically upon release.
Why 2010 & 2018’s Robin Hood Adaptations Didn’t Work
2010’s Robin Hood Was Too Dark and 2018’s Was Too Predictable
With some reports claiming that its budget ballooned to over $200 million,2010’sRobin Hoodwas a box-office disappointment when the Russell Crowe movie earned only $321 million. Moreover, its critical reception was dire, with reviewers calling the retelling too dark and humorless to fit the myth viewers grew up with. Scott and Crowe brought the same moody, brooding intensity to the historical drama as they did toGladiatora decade earlier, butRobin Hoodproved a less fitting story for this approach.
2010’sRobin Hoodwas a misguided misfire that felt more gratuitously grim than subversive or original.
The story of Robin Hood is one that is somewhat inherently upbeat, following, as it does, the story of an antihero who defeats the authorities and stands up for the proverbial little guy. Scott and Crowe made an admirable stab at offering a grittier version of this myth, but2010’sRobin Hoodwas a misguided misfirethat felt more gratuitously grim than subversive or original. Meanwhile, the next big-budget take on the myth had even bigger problems.
Critics dubbed 2018’sRobin Hooduninspired, bland, and predictable.
2018’sRobin Hoodstarred Taron Egerton in the title role, with Jamie Foxx playing Little John while Ben Mendelsohn took on the role of the villainous Sheriff of Nottingham. Earning only $86 million on a budget of $100 million,Robin Hoodwas a genuine catastrophe. Its reviews were also almost universally negative, with even the kindest critics calling the blockbuster pointless and repetitive, while others dubbed 2018’sRobin Hooduninspired, bland, and predictable.
The Death Of Robin Hood Already Has A Very Exciting Cast & Crew
Pig’s Director Makes The Project More Unpredictable And Intriguing
This long history of flops seems like it would make the prospect ofHugh Jackman playing Robin Hoodin an upcoming movie worrying. However,I’m convinced Jackman’sThe Death Of Robin Hoodcould be the best Robin Hood movie in decades.Pigdirector Michael Sarnoski toldColliderthatThe Death Of Robin Hoodwas a “Smaller passion project” for him compared to his recent success, the blockbuster action-horror prequelA Quiet Place: Day One.
The Death Of Robin Hoodpromises to be a darker, more elegiac take on the myth
The Death Of Robin Hoodwill mostly focus on Jackman’s title character as he expires in a house and reflects on his long life during his last moments. Co-starring Bill Skarsgard and Jodie Comer,The Death Of Robin Hoodpromises to be a darker, more elegiac take on the myth, which might ring alarm bells for anyone familiar with 2010’s grim retelling. However, it is worth noting thatJackman’s iconic turn inLoganand Sarnoski’s earlier hitPigwere both successful precisely because of their poignant, surprisingly dark, and reflective stories.
The Death Of Robin Hood Promises A Very Different Telling Of The Legend
Jackman’s Robin Hood Movie Tells A Darker, Sadder Story
Unlike most versions of the Robin Hood story,The Death Of Robin Hoodpromises to look at the darker side of the character’s life. Knowing from the title alone that Jackman’s character ends up dead leaves viewers with a very different expectation for the story, andThe Death Of Robin Hoodcan be less of a swashbuckling action adventure and more of a dark revisionist take on the folk tale. Sarnoski is no stranger to this sort of subversive storytelling. His breakthrough moviePiginitially seemed like a violent revenge thriller, but the thoughtful movie turned into something totally different.
The Robin Hood story has been the subject of over 70 screen adaptations.
Pigstarted out as the latest in a long line ofJohn Wickclones, establishing Nicolas Cage’s lead character as a solitary loner before giving him a compelling revenge quest. However,2021’sPigtransformedinto a complex story about loss, redemption, and impermanence instead of the bloody thriller viewers might have anticipated. Similarly,The Death Of Robin Hoodcan forewarn viewers with its title that it won’t be an action-forward blockbuster, and the historical drama can then allow Jackman to offer a more complicated, morally grey take on the famous character than viewers are accustomed to.
Robin Hood’s Big Screen Struggles Go Back Further Than 2010
Even Kevin Costner’s Robin Hood Blockbuster Wasn’t Great
What makesThe Death Of Robin Hoodparticularly exciting is the fact thateven the good Robin Hood movies aren’t all that good. This writer might have endless time for the Disney take on the character, but it is hard to deny that the cheaply produced movie features a lot of recycled animation and a brief runtime. Similarly,Robin Hood: Prince of Thievesmight have been a box office hit, but outside the late, great Alan Rickman’s villainous performance, the blockbuster wasn’t very good.
Even Mel Brooks’ parody ofPrince of Thieves,Robin Hood: Men In Tights, is fondly remembered in part because it was one of the comedy legend’s final theatrical outings. Compared toBlazing Saddlesor evenSpaceballs, it is hard to argue thatRobin Hood: Men In Tightsis one of Brooks’ best outings and this was reflected in the largely negative reviews the spoof received upon release.
Robin Hood Was The 2010s Dumbest Shared Movie Universe Attempt
The success of the MCU led to a boom in shared universes - but the dumbest idea of them all was Sony’s plan for a Robin Hood Cinematic Universe.
This is arguably a good thing forThe Death Of Robin Hoodsince it means that Sarnoski and Jackman’s movie could become the definitive cinematic portrayal of the character. Since the figure has been a folk legend for so long and there are so many movies focusing on the character, it is easy to forget that there are precious few truly great Robin Hood movies. Fortunately,The Death Of Robin Hoodcould change that when theHugh Jackmanmovie is released in 2026.
