Put Jamie Dornan and "shaft" together in the same sentence and rightfully thoughts should turn to his starring role in Fifty Shades of Grey. But his new gig will have him dealing with arrow shafts as he's in talks to join Taron Egerton in Robin Hood: Origins, which Lionsgate expects to build into a franchise.
Egerton would play the stylish and short-tempered swordsman Will Scarlett, who happens to be married to Maid Marian in this version of the story. Understandably he'll be none too pleased to find out she's actually in love with Robin Hood, who will be played by Egerton. Eve Hewson is set to play Marian, with Jamie Foxx as Little John. In most renditions of the tale Scarlett is portrayed as Robin's half-brother and a member of his Merry Men. Christian Slater played him as a jealous brat in Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves and I can see Dornan maybe doing something similar here.
Otto Bathurst is directing from a script by Joby Harold, with production to begin in January. I kind of look at Robin Hood movies the same way I do The Legend of Tarzan and Guy Ritchie's King Arthur movie. They are familiar properties that are probably too outdated conceptually and audiences have zero interest in paying to see them. Maybe Dornan can help change that but I have doubts. [THR]
