Only five years has passed since Ridley Scott and Russell Crowe's gritty Robin Hood origin story, a $200M film that didn't exactly set the world on fire. Apparently that film's relative failure didn't deter Hollywood as there are multiple Robin Hood projects in development at the same time, but only one has Leonardo DiCaprio backing it and a director firmly on board.
Deadline reports that Lionsgate has hired Peaky Blinders and Black Mirror director Otto Bathurst to helm Robin Hood: Origins, which is being compared in tone to The Dark Knight. Of course. Penned by Joby Harold, this version sounds much the same as Scott's, following Robin Hood after he returns home from the Crusades and forms a band of outlaws to battle the corruption that has taken hold. Harold also wrote Guy Ritchie's upcoming Knights of the Round Table, and Ritchie was attached to direct this film before dropping out. DiCaprio will be producing through his Appian Way banner, but nothing on if he plans to take a role in front of the camera.
The plan is to have production ready by early next year. They'll want to move fast since Sony is developing an Avengers-style Robin Hood project of their own. Disney is looking to build a new franchise with Nottingham and Hood, while Warner Bros. has had a futuristic Robin Hood project gathering dust for awhile. Is there really that much interest in Robin Hood for so many potential franchises? Probably not, and don't be surprised if most of these projects quietly go away.
