Naomie Harris, Gwendoline Christie and Harry Potter star Mark Williams (who played Arthur Weasley in the film franchise) have joined the ensemble cast of family adventure film Robin and the Hood alongside rising star Darcey Ewart (Prancer: A Christmas Tale, To Olivia).
The film, which completed principal photography over the summer, comes from director Phil Hawkins (Prancer: A Christmas Tale) and was written by Stuart Benson and Paul Davidson, with the script first optioned by Silver Reel in 2021. It’s set to debut as a Sky Original in the U.K. and Ireland on Sky Cinema, with GFM Global Sales handling the film at the AFM following a deal inked prior to the market.
Robin and the Hood follows the tenacious 11-year-old Robin (Ewart) and her loyal band of friends, called “The Hoods,” for whom the patch of overgrown scrubland at the end of their cul-de-sac is a magical kingdom. Sticks and bin lids have become swords and shields, drones have become majestic eagles, and the hippy lady in the forest (Christie) is a terrifying witch. The only thing limiting their colorful imagination is the prospect of losing their kingdom forever. When the slippery property developer Clipboard (Harris) turns up and dazzles the parents of the area with promises of health spas and day-care facilities, Robin and The Hoods’ world is faced with an existential threat. Despite the children’s best efforts, their protests fall on deaf ears. When their parents can’t see the wood for the trees, Robin and her friends take matters into their own hands to defend their kingdom.
The film is produced by Silver Reel’s Claudia Bluemhuber and Future Artists Entertainment’s Matt Williams. Alexander Jooss, Florian Dargel and Karol Griffiths (from Silver Reel) and Julia Stuart and Andrew Orr (Sky) will executive produce.
“We were excited about Stuart and Paul’s script from the moment we encountered it – Robin and the Hood is a story with a big heart and plenty of laughter, which reminds us of the power and importance of imagination in a world that is swiftly losing it,” said Bluemhuber. “Landing the fantastic (quartet) of Naomie, Mark, Gwendoline and Darcey to lead our cast is a brilliant coup, and we’re thrilled that Sky, Future Artists and GFM are joining us on this adventure!”