Is there ever an appropriate time to take a step back and look at our heroes? The Death of Robin Hood is far from the first time to subvert what we’ve come to know about a pop culture-friendly version of an icon, whether it’s done for comedic or dramatic effect. That said, Robin Hood has rarely been portrayed as anything less than a heroic figure in his many depictions, despite the original folklore depicting him otherwise. Regardless of whether or not there’s a compelling reason to strip away what has built someone into a heroic icon for the sake of meeting them in a new frame of mind, there is also the possibility that doing such a thing doesn’t necessarily remove the core ideas at play. The Death of Robin Hood has that going for it. Thanks to a thoughtful approach to this point in the character’s life, there’s enough good reason provided to take in a story about an outlaw who had a unique way of standing out, building a reputation in the process.
Inspired by “Robin Hood’s Death,” one of the many English ballads about the famed character, this is a story set in a late period of Robin Hood’s (Hugh Jackman) life, as he grapples with the actions of his past. Following an ill-advised battle with his lifelong compatriot Little John (Bill Skarsgard), a grave injury and subsequent rescue at the hands of a mysterious woman (Jodie Comer) sets Robin up for a final round of contemplative moments. It is here that he can consider further what his actions have done, how to deal with other familiar faces at the end of their lives, and whether he has any chance of salvation.
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An interesting way to look at this film is as an action movie in reverse. Rather than standard approaches to character development and plotting, we are somewhat thrown into a day in the life of the aged outlaw, as he deals with another instance of someone wanting revenge based on a person Robin had killed years prior. Following this, Little John asks for Robin’s help, leading to a brutal battle fit for the climax of any other medieval story. It is after this point, however, that things are scaled back. We follow Robin into an idyllic community where his savagery is unknown to those around him. Yet, the audience remains with this man as he attempts to confront his sins while also building care for those around him. Suffice to say, this is not a movie that’s only biding time before Robin must take care of one last enemy by way of a major battle. No, this is a movie about moving on, even when considering how low the stakes are for someone as impressive as Robin Hood.
Hugh Jackman is ideal casting for this role. Yes, one can look at Robin Hood and match up aspects of what he represents to what Jackman has done for years (well, decades now) as Wolverine in the X-Men/Logan movies. With that in mind, this is not only still another way to let Jackman explore interesting roles beyond his marquee character, but practically a way to 1-up what even the aged version of his fan-favorite mutant role has had to offer.
Really, it comes down to the nature of self-loathing and whether we need to see a film so focused on it. For a character rooted in the idea that he was taken as an innocent, forced to have metallic bones, and would go on to fight back against antagonistic forces as a superhero, placing so much time around his supposed guilt is a lot to take in. Now, with this version of Robin Hood, one who took a brutal approach to working outside the law for a supposed greater good, yes, I can get behind wanting to see where this script takes us.
The Death of Robin Hood was written and directed by Michael Sarnoski, who has now made a series of films that feature characters who have sort of fallen away from traditional society because of their own status. Pig, with Nicolas Cage in what should have been an Oscar-nominated performance, very much had us looking at a man unstuck from that traditional reality, and more focused on living a natural life that celebrated its environment, before being forced back into a brutal situation. A Quiet Place: Day One found us following Lupita Nyong’o’s terminally ill character, who had to balance her reluctance to continue living with the sudden arrival of violent aliens. ‘Robin Hood’ obviously finds Sarnoski back in smaller-scale territory, but it, too, looks at the natural world and a character now finding solace in how he inhabits this space, compared to a much more challenging and violent life, despite having to live with those memories.
Thanks to this approach, however, we get to see a film shot entirely in Northern Ireland that looks spectacular. Cinematographer Pat Scola makes great use of the environments, with a lot of natural lighting thanks to what can be produced there, and other clever filmmaking considerations that did not require much artificial tinkering (the movie was even shot on film). The results speak for themselves: the film is gorgeous. It features an appropriate score by Jim Ghedi that’s not afraid to engage with folk music while finding the right rhythms for a film so focused on death.
Recent years have found younger or more arthouse-attuned filmmakers taking a more grounded approach to myth and legend. Something like The Green Knight stands out in that regard. Meanwhile, veteran filmmakers similarly find ways to challenge points of view they once had by continuing to examine themes they’ve attached themselves to in more subversive ways. The Death of Robin Hood fortunately doesn’t just toy with a darker version of the man who stole from the rich to give to the poor for the sake of being different. There’s clearly care going into this notion, let alone an understanding that Sarnoski is quite aware of when considering how this is still the same basic character from a slightly different lens. And, fortunately, Jackman was up for the challenge.
The Death of Robin Hood opens in theaters on June 19, 2026.
