Bill Skarsgård and Murray Bartlett Join ‘The Death of Robin Hood’

in Movie

Reading Time: 7 mins read

(Left) Bill Skarsgård in ‘Boy Kills World’. Photo: Lionsgate. (Right) Murray Bartlett in ‘The Last of Us’. Photo: Liane Hentscher/HBO.

Preview:

Bill Skarsgård, Murray Bartlett and Noah Jupe are joining ‘The Death of Robin Hood.’
Hugh Jackman and Jodie Comer will star.
‘A Quiet Place: Day One’s director Michael Sarnoski is overseeing the movie.

Movies and TV just can’t stay away from the British legend of Robin Hood –– the folk hero figure known for stealing from the rich to help the poor –– and you’d think that everything anyone would ever want to say about the character has already been covered.

That’s never been the case with Hood, though, with the most recent being the 2018 version starring Taron Egerton. And now here comes ‘Pig’ and ‘A Quiet Place: Day One’ writer/director Michael Sarnoski, who has come up with his own version, ‘The Death of Robin Hood’.

Not Yet Rated

A darker reimagining of the classic Robin Hood tale, which will see the character as a battleworn loner grappling with his past after a life of crime and murder,… Read the Plot

Crafted by Sarnoski before he even got the gig making the ‘Quiet Place’ prequel, the script is moving forward, and the director has already recruited Hugh Jackman and Jodie Comer to star.

According to Variety, they’ll now be joined by the likes of Bill Skarsgård, Murray Bartlett and Noah Jupe, playing unknown characters.

What’s the story of ‘The Death of Robin Hood’?

Hugh Jackman in ‘Logan’. Photo: 20th Century Fox.

As has previously been reported, the title nods to a darker reimagining of the classic Robin Hood tale.

The film will see the title character grappling with his past after a life of crime and murder, a battleworn loner who finds himself gravely injured and in the hands of a mysterious woman who offers him a chance at salvation.

Jackman, of course, will be Hood (in shades of his battered, older Wolverine in ‘Logan’), while Comer (known for the likes of ‘Killing Eve’ and ‘The Last Duel’) as the mystery woman.

‘The Death of Robin Hood’: The filmmakers speak

(L to R) Lupita Nyong’o as “Samira” and Director Michael Sarnoski in ‘A Quiet Place: Day One’ from Paramount Pictures.

Lyrical Media has stumped up the money to make the film, while Aaron Ryder and Andrew Swett will produce under their Ryder Picture Company banner, alongside Alexander Black for Lyrical Media and Jackman. Lyrical’s Jon Rosenberg and Natalie Sellers are executive producers alongside Rama Gottumukkala and Sarnoski.

Here’s what Sarnoski says about the movie:

“It has been an incredible opportunity to reinvent and freshly innovate the story we all know of Robin Hood. Securing the perfect cast to transform the script to screen was essential. I could not be more thrilled and trusting in Hugh and Jodie to bring this story to life in a powerful and meaningful way.”

And here are producers Aaron Ryder and Andrew Swett:

“This is not the story of Robin Hood we’ve all come to know. Instead, Michael has crafted something far more grounded and visceral. Thanks to Alexander Black and our friends at Lyrical along with Rama and Michael, the world is going to love seeing Hugh and Jodie together in this epic.”

What have Bill Skarsgård, Murray Bartlett and Noah Jupe been up to?

Noah Jupe in ‘Lady in the Lake,’ premiering July 19, 2024 on Apple TV+.

Skarsgård will probably be pleased to be playing a character that doesn’t require him to be slathered in prosthetic make-up following his turns as Pennywise the demon clown in the ‘It’ movies and, more recently, the title figure in Robert Eggers’ vampiric horror hit ‘Nosferatu.’

He is reprising the Pennywise role in the ‘It’ spin-off prequel TV series ‘Welcome to Derry,’ which will be on screens via HBO later this year.

And he has a few films awaiting release, including horror thriller ‘Locked’ about a thief breaking into a luxury SUV who gets more than he bargained for; historical revenge epic ‘Emperor’ in which he plays King Philip II of Spain and Gus Van Sant’s new crime drama ‘Dead Man’s Wire.’

The actor is also attached to Andrew Niccol’s ‘Lord of War’ sequel ‘Lords of War,’ which finds Nicolas Cage’s character discovering he has a son.

Bartlett, who scored an Emmy for his role as Armond the resort manager in Season 1 of ‘The White Lotus,’ has also gone on to acclaim for a memorable episode of ‘The Last of Us’ and based-on-truth TV series ‘Welcome to Chippendales.’

Coming up, he has roles in new drama ‘Opus’ about an offbeat, long-missing pop star who reappears seemingly leading a cult, musical epic ‘O’Dessa,’ following a young woman’s quest to retrieve a family heirloom, and ‘At the Sea,’ which finds a woman returning to her family home after a stint in rehab.

He’s also at work on the second season of ‘Nine Perfect Strangers,’ which once again stars Nicole Kidman.

And finally we have Jupe, who made his name starring in the first two ‘A Quiet Place’ movies (though doesn’t appear in ‘Day One’ since that focuses on different characters.)

He’s since appeared in the likes of ‘Honey Boy’ and will be part of the cast for the new season of ‘The Night Manager,’ which should arrive this year.

When will ‘The Death of Robin Hood’ be in theaters?

Production is kicking off this week in Ireland, which might explain the latest casting announcement.

A24 nabbed the domestic rights to the movie at last year’s Cannes Film Market, while True Brit Entertainment will be releasing the film in the U.K. and Ireland. There is, as of yet, no announced release date.