For those of you who don’t know, I’m a real sucker for Robin Hood. Like big time. More specifically, I’m a sucker for 1991′s Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves. It’s a flick that gets a lot of shit from a lot of movie viewers mainly because Kevin Costner could’ve been replaced by a log during filming and no one would’ve been able to tell the difference.
But Costner’s acting style aside, the movie has everything. Alan Rickman as a badass villain. Morgan Freeman and Christian Slater busting skulls and taking names in supporting roles. Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio…okay she’s not that hot… but she’s still okay. AND if you were lucky enough to own the VHS (which I was), Bryan Adams’ video for “(Everything I Do) I Do It For You” included right after the closing credits. I mean, what else do you want in a movie going experience?
Anyways, Ridley Scott has taken up the challenge of creating a new Robin Hood flick, one which many believe will actually be closer to the real story (if there is a real story). It stars Russell Crowe, Cate Blanchett, and Mark Strong and has the potential to be pretty awesome.
Universal issued a series of press release synopses today on their upcoming 2010 slate (you can see Slashfilm’s analysis, here), and the “Untitled Robin Hood Adventure” film from Scott is in there penciled in for May 14, 2010.
Here’s a snippet from the press release:
“The untitled Robin Hood adventure chronicles the life of an expert archer, previously interested only in self-preservation, from his service in King Richard’s army against the French. Upon Richard’s death, Robin travels to Nottingham, a town suffering from the corruption of a despotic sheriff and crippling taxation, where he falls for the spirited widow Lady Marion (Oscar winner Cate Blanchett), a woman skeptical of the identity and motivations of this crusader from the forest. Hoping to earn the hand of Maid Marion and salvage the village, Robin assembles a gang whose lethal mercenary skills are matched only by its appetite for life. Together, they begin preying on the indulgent upper class to correct injustices under the sheriff.”
Sounds pretty solid.
