Australian actor Hugh Jackman is set to star in the latest retelling of Robin of Loxley and his band of merry men. However, this film, titled The Death of Robin Hood, sets a much darker tone than previous adaptations.
“Would you like to know a secret?” Hugh Jackman’s Robin Hood asks in the trailer for the upcoming film. “People speak of Robin Hood, tell stories, they’re all lies. He was not a hero. We were a murderous brethern. We were monstrous. I am the outlaw, Robin Hood.”
That line sets up the tone for the movie, which has the tagline “He was no hero.”
What is The Death of Robin Hood about?
The film’s synopsis is fairly grim: “Grappling with his past after a life of crime and murder, Robin Hood finds himself gravely injured after a battle he thought would be his last. In the hands of a mysterious woman, he is offered a chance at salvation.”
That mysterious woman is played by none other than Jodie Comer in what appears to be a Maid Marian character. However, those who know the classic story, or at least the John Cleese or Disney versions, Maid Marion is Robin Hood’s contemporary, who loves him. Could Jodie be playing a new character in the Robin Hood tale?
What is the Robin Hood legend?
Robin Hood, also known as Robin of Loxley or Locksley, is a legendary character in English folklore. The story goes that in medieval England, an outlaw named Robin Hood lived outside the law but followed a strong moral code. His main action was stealing from the rich and giving their wares to the poor. He was a highly skilled archer and swordsman.
Some iterations of the legend claim that Robin has a noble background but eschewed it as the world of lords and ladies was corrupt. Other versions say he was a soldier in the Crusades, and when he returned to England, his lands were stolen by the corrupt Sheriff of Nottingham, his enduring enemy in many versions of his story. The Sheriff is often portrayed as a supporter of Prince John, who attempted to usurp King Richard, to whom Robin is loyal.
He also had a band of outlaws called the Merry Men, who joined in on his mission and lived in Sherwood Forest with him. His great love was Maid Marian.
Was Robin Hood a real person?
The short answer: Probably not. Robin Hood is a legendary folk hero from medival north England. However, it’s possible that the legend was informed by real people.
For instance, the earliest written references to Robin Hood date back to the late 13th and 14th centuries, appearing in English ballads such as A Gest of Robyn Hode. By this time, he was already portrayed as a skilled archer, an outlaw, and a rebel against corrupt authority.
However, the early ballads that mention the hero vary when it comes to who he was, where he lived and other notable factors.
Similarly to how “John Doe” or “Jane Doe” are used as placeholders for unnamed people, “Robin Hood” could have been used as a generic nickname for outlaws.
However, his homeplace of Sherwood Forest is a real place located in Nottinghamshire, England. You can visit there and see “The Major Oak”, which is the Merry Men’s legendary shelter.
You can also visit Robin Hood’s Grave in the woods at Kirklees Priory in West Yorkshire, some believers reckon it really is him buried there…
Who stars in The Death of Robin Hood?
Besides Hugh Jackman as an older Robin Hood and Jodie Comer as an unnamed “mysterious woman”, other actors joining the case are Bill Skarsgård, Noah Jupe, and Australian actor and star of the first season of The White Lotus, Murray Bartlett.
None of their characters has been named. However, one of the film’s stills shows Hugh’s Robin sitting on the moors around Yorkshire with Bill Skarsgård. This makes us think that he could be playing one of Robin’s Merry Men. Maybe even, Little John. If that’s the case, perhaps Murray Bartlett is portraying the Sheriff…
Time will tell!
How many times has Robin Hood been adapted for the screen?
Robin Hood has been adapted countless times! He is one of the most adapted characters in cinematic history. Hugh Jackman isn’t even the first Australian to take up his bow for a portrayal.
Errol Flynn starred in what is likely the most famous film adaptation: The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938). Most recently, Jack Patten portrayed Robin Hood for the 2025 titular TV series.
Other famous versions include Disney’s Robin Hood in 1973, featuring a fox in the titular role.
In the 90s, we had Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves (1991) starring Kevin Costner in the titular role and Alan Rickman as the dastardly Sheriff of Nottingham. A humorous and parodic take on the legend came in 1993 with Robin Hood: Men in Tights, starring Cary Elwes as Robin and Patrick Stewart as Richard the Lionheart.
There was also the grittier Robin Hood (2010) starring Russell Crowe as Robin and Cate Blanchett as Maid Marian. Then Robin Hood (2018) with Taron Egerton in the main role, Ben Mendelsohn as the Sheriff, and Eve Hewson as Maid Marian.
However, it appears this latest adaptation of the legend is full-on dark.
When is The Death of Robin Hood coming to cinemas?
There are no specifics on the release date as of yet. The only release date is “2026 (TBD)”.
Watch this space for more information as it comes.
