Robin Hood is by far the best-known character ever to have emerged from Nottingham, and he’s one of the reasons that people outside of the UK know about the region. Indeed, along with the likes of Sherlock Holmes and Dracula, the legendary outlaw has been one of the most adapted characters of all time in film and television.
It was recently reported that there’s a new Robin Hood series in the works from Lionsgate for MGM+, with a couple of big names set to star. With Lionsgate’s 2018 Robin Hood feature garnering negative reviews, the production company will be hoping that this series will be a worthy addition to the outlaw’s legacy.
Robin Hood Has a Strong Chance of Success
In the age of high-budget television series, it was only a matter of time before a new Robin Hood offering was brought to the small screen. The format offers the perfect opportunity for writers to explore the character in great detail, and to bring his world to modern viewers. Jonathan English is the main man behind the new offering, serving as director and co-writer alongside John Glenn. He’s best known for the Tom Hardy offering Minotaur in 2006, and the Brian Cox-led Ironclad in 2011.
The high-profile cast suggests that Robin Hood will have a good chance of success. The biggest name is Sean Bean, who is set to play the Sheriff of Nottingham, and he’ll be joined by Gladiator star Connie Nielsen as Eleanor of Aquitaine. Jack Patten is portraying the legendary bowman, with Lauren McQueen as Marian.
MGM+ will be hoping that Robin Hood can attract the huge audience who enjoyed other recent epic history-inspired offerings like Game of Thrones and Vikings. The network could look to follow in the footsteps of these shows by leveraging the franchise model across other media as well.
Part of the reason for their success was that they were represented in games, such as the Game of Thrones role-playing game from Telltale Games and the Game of Thrones slot game. There’s already a Robin Hood-inspired jackpot casino game on the market called Robbin’ Robin, suggesting that this could be a sector to explore with more official games to promote the series.
A Robin Hood Film is Also in the Works
Along with the new series, there are also reports circulating that a new Robin Hood film will be coming soon. The Death of Robin Hood is set to provide a fresh take on the story, as the outlaw looks back on his life of crime and murder. With Hugh Jackman set to star as the hero, the film could be a huge success and may draw more attention to the series as well.
The latest Robin Hood outing was Otto Bathurst’s 2018 offering, which was panned for its over-the-top special effects and attempts to add more action to the classic tale. Hopefully the upcoming series will be a grittier retelling that captures the magic of the story without adding too much unnecessary embellishment.
