Universal are betting on a 44 year old Russell Crowe and his GLADIATOR director Ridley Scott to make some serious green again in the Summer blockbuster season with a tale about a middle-aged ROBIN HOOD, which remarkably is being made as an origin story and not beginning with the legend already established, like you might think given Crowe’s age and stature as an actor.
ROBIN HOOD has been pushed up from November next year to the pressure cooker of the Summer blockbuster season, opening just 7 days after IRON MAN 2 on May 14th 2010, and just a week before SHREK GOES FOURTH.
I’m not convinced audiences are willing to bank on Crowe being HOOD. Not since CINDERELLA MAN has Crowe looked anything like a summer box office leading man and if he is still in the same shape that he shot STATE OF PLAY in, he’s gotta him that gym, and fast.
But it’s not just that. It’s the whole image of him with a bow and arrow and wearing the green, playing a good samaritan. Fighting the rich to give to the poor. Can we really buy that from him these days?
His time to have played HOOD passed five years ago, if he wanted to get back into the hero routine he should be pitching another go as Captain Jack Aubrey for a MASTER AND COMMANDER 2.
But alas, it’s Crowe we are left with and someone north of 45 you have to expect will play The Sheriff. All would be forgiven if it’s Alan Rickman again.
8 Comments
Perhaps with Scott at the helm we will finally get the “Hood” we deserve. Anything would be preferable to that Kevin Costner abomination.
Have you looked at recent pictures of Russell Crowe? He’s not still in the same shape he was in for “State of Play”! Playing Cal McCaffrey demanded that particular shape; playing Robin Hood does not and Russell always looks his part! It’s one of the things that makes him one of the greatest actors around. He’s not five years past playing Robin Hood. Between Russell, Ridley Scott, Cate Blanchett, and the supporting cast they’re putting together, this will be one great movie.
You know that the Robin Hood story is just that… a story? It’s a constantly changing fictional legend, nothing more. There is lively debate whether there was ever a real person named Robin Hood, much less all the side stories that have come down through the centuries and entered the constantly changing popular imagination. A legend often evolves to serve the times, and today, with the rich fat cats again taking from the poor, it seems ripe for revival.
Some people assume that Errol Flynn’s film was the “real” story…. hogwash. Every film, book, TV show and cartoon in popular culture have just been modern re-interpretations of the old legends, just as Scott’s film will be. It’s a ripe archetype, which is why there have been so many depictions.
All I care about is seeing a ripping good yarn, with some fine characterizations from Crowe, Blanchett, the Merry Men and villains. I’m betting Ridley Scott will come through.
Crowe transforms his physique appropriately for each role. He’s done it again for Robin… looking every inch the fit medieval bowman, judging from recent photos.
“if he is still in the same shape that he shot STATE OF PLAY in, he’s gotta him that gym, and fast. ”
WOW !! Are you EVER out of the loop ! Haven’t you seen pics of him lately ?
Besides, I’d rather have a 55 year old Crowe, if necessary, play a hero routine. No one else can do it half as well.
I haven’t seen pics of him lately, no. I don’t read gossip mags, or trashy newspapers. I pretty much just go off his appearances on film and with STATE OF PLAY being his latest movie, that’s all I have to go off.
I know he is capable of slimming down and I don’t doubt that he has but regardless, I still think he makes a better villain these days. Christian Bale could certainly play Robin Hood “half as well” as Crowe.
Not being combative or anything Matt(honestly), but you don’t have to read gossip mags or trashy newspapers(I don’t either). Just go to one of his many fan sites or do a Google Image search.
http://russelliracrowe.blogspot.com/2009/03/release-date-for-robin-hood.html
Is the image on that post of yours a latest one?
If it is, he’s looking more likely to play King Henry VIII this month than Robin of Loxley. Actually, I would love to see Crowe play Henry VIII, it’s a role I have several times lobbied that a studio should build a tentpole release around him for.
I like Crowe, I really do. He is one of my favourite screen actors, in fact several times over the past few years I’ve called him the greatest actor of his generation.
I just know that at this stage of his career and coming off what looks to be a mis-casting in a few movies recently (BODY OF LIES, A GOOD YEAR, STATE OF PLAY), he is hardly someone I would feel confident about building such a big tentpole around.
If it were 2003, I would be mega excited for this film. But it’s 2009.
The picture in the top post is an older one Matt. Taken sometime before he did “3:10 To Yuma”. Here’s a direct link to one on the same site that was taken in late February of this year.
http://russelliracrowe.blogspot.com/2009/03/russell-to-appear-on-footy-show.html