One can only remix a classic mythological figure so many times before the effort loses all of its verve, but let’s hope the third time is the charm when it comes to Robin Hood. The iconic outlaw of the Middle Ages has captivated audiences for generations, but keeping him relevant in a post-postmodern world has been a challenge. Robin Hood was just one of countless figures to get the Gritty Reboot over the last decade, joining Batman, James Bond, and other action icons in darker, gloomier origin stories.
Unlike his contemporaries, though, none of Robin Hood’s revisionist reboots have made much of an impact. Director Ridley Scott delivered an interesting take on the legend in 2010, but it failed to stick in the zeitgeist. We got another Robin Hood film eight years later, but it was even less memorable. In 2026 — another eight years later — we’ll get yet another take on Robin Hood, and fortunately, it feels a bit different from the generic origin story its predecessors relied on. Directed by Pig’s Michael Sarnoski and starring Hugh Jackman, The Death of Robin Hood is tackling the legend from a new perspective.
The Death of Robin Hood follows a much older Robin Hood, who looks back on his past of stealing from the rich with regret. This Robin Hood stooped to ruthless means to fulfill his mandate, and views himself more as a villain than the hero we know him as. So great is his guilt that he’s eager to leave this life behind, and he nearly gets his wish after a gruesome battle. Instead, he’s saved by a mysterious woman (Jodie Comer), who’s likely the Maid Marian of this tale. She’s dedicated her life to helping lost souls, and Robin Hood is her latest project.
After his near-death experience, our hero is now on a quest to redeem his past sins, apparently by making the world a better place for a young girl in Marian’s charge. The parallels to Jackman’s final run as Wolverine (before Deadpool & Wolverine, anyway) are impossible to ignore: The Death of Robin Hood is shaping up to be medieval Logan. It’s an interesting way to approach a property that feels DOA otherwise, but only time will tell if that’s enough to set this reboot apart from all the others.
