It’s only a matter of time before the words ‘gritty reboot’ get attached to just about any existing intellectual property these days. That’s especially true for characters in the public domain, which allow multiple studios to create competing films based on the same protagonist or universe. Over the years, that’s meant everything from Frankenstein to Peter Pan, and right now Robin Hood is going through the same process. Not to be confused with the futuristic, dystopian Robin Hood project that’s in the works, Robin Hood: Origins will be taking a cue from the upcoming King Arthur: Legend of the Sword and providing audiences with a dark and grounded reboot of the character.
The film has already established a stellar cast, with Taron Egerton (Kingsman) in the title role. Jamie Foxx has been added as Little John, presumably eliminating the character’s usual girth in the process, and Tim Minchin was recently revealed to be playing Friar Tuck. Rogue One villain Ben Mendelsohn will oppose the Merry Men as the nefarious Sheriff of Nottingham. The film is set to release in the spring of 2018, so, right on cue, production and filming have begun.
Coming Soon and The Dubrovnik Times each have a set of photos from the new film which you can view at their respective links. The photos show the main cast and a number of extras dressed in the attire of the Christian Crusades, a key part of Robin Hood lore. The scene being filmed is likely the men returning or leaving, something that will play into the ‘Origin’ of the movie’s title.
The scene in question is being shot in Dubrovnik, Croatia, where Game of Thrones films its King’s Landing set. Given the grandeur of those scenes, it’s not surprising that Robin Hood: Origins would look to the area to establish a similar feel for their film. The cast appears to be mostly British and Australian (save Foxx), so it’s likely much of the production will happen in Europe. Given that’s where the events of any Robin Hood story historically take place, it’s a good call on the part of the producers.
Taron Egerton is poised to be one of Hollywood’s next big leads. Kingsman: The Golden Circle, the sequel to 2015’s surprise hit, is all set to debut later this year. And Egerton is often a name thrown around for various other big franchise roles, like the Han Solo movie. Though he didn’t land that one, he’s likely to be a go-to name when it comes to casting genre tentpoles. If Robin Hood: Origins is a hit and spans its planned sequels, Egerton could be quite busy in the years to come.
Source: Coming Soon, The Dubrovnik Times
- Robin Hood Release Date: 2018-11-21
