‘The Death of Robin Hood’s Director Reveals New Details About the Hugh Jackman-led Movie [Exclusive]

June 27, 20244 Mins Read

The Big Picture

The Death of Robin Hoo
d, starring Hugh Jackman and Jodie Comer, focuses on an aging, injured Robin Hood and a mysterious woman who cares for him.
Directed by Michael Sarnoski, the film explores the darker aspects of the Robin Hood mythology with a focus on character development and dramatic tension.
Set for a February 2025 start, the film might aim for a full theatrical release during the 2025-2026 awards season.

The upcoming film The Death of Robin Hood has only recently been properly announced, and yet it’s already been generating significant buzz, particularly with the announcement of its star-studded cast and unique storytelling approach. Directed by Michael Sarnoski, known for his work on Pig and A Quiet Place: Day One, the film stars Hugh Jackman as an older, wounded Robin Hood and Jodie Comer as a mysterious woman who tends to him.

Set in the later years of Robin Hood’s life, the film follows an aging Robin Hood who, after a brutal battle, finds himself severely injured and in the care of Comer’s mystery character. The setup introduces a fresh take on the mythology with an intense focus on character development and dramatic tension, diverging from traditional heroic tales to explore the darker, more introspective aspects of the legendary figure.

Sarnoski recently spoke with Collider’s Steve Weintraub about the project, while promoting A Quiet Place: Day One, revealing some intriguing insights into its development. When asked how long he had been working on the script, Sarnoski shared, “I wrote that script right before coming onto A Quiet Place. I kind of made a deal with myself where, if I was gonna do a big studio movie, I wanted to make sure I had my smaller passion project in the wings that I could be thinking about. So, I wrote it right before writing this and have just kind of been playing with it in the background.”

The project, which Sarnoski refers to as his “smaller passion project,” became increasingly important to him over time. “Initially, when writing it, I wasn’t sure it was gonna be my next movie, but I knew I wanted to have something I cared about. As I was going through this process, I was like, ‘It’s pretty obvious that it has to be that movie.’ I just kind of fell in love with it more and more. Then, as we brought these incredible actors on, it’s where my heart’s gonna be at for the next year,” he explained.

When Will ‘The Death of Robin Hood’ Begin Production?

Jodie Comer in a pink cardigan sits on a porch looking serenely into the distance resting her head on hand — Image via Focus Features

The Death of Robin Hood is set to begin filming in February 2025. Sarnoski acknowledged the peculiar feeling of planning so far ahead, stating, “It is, but with movies, time collapses so much. You’re shooting in February, that means you’re gonna start prepping in, like, November, and then suddenly it’s like, ‘Well, November is only a handful of months away.’ The timelines compress pretty quickly, and there’s so much to do — location scouting, figuring this out and that out, and getting the whole team together.”

When asked whether the movie would be a two-hander in a house or feature action set pieces, Sarnoski said, “It’s a little bit of both. It has a sort of different version of the epic Robin that we’re used to, while also a very intimate story that’s going throughout, as well. So, it’ll have a little bit for everyone in that sense.”

The film is being produced by Lyrical Media and Ryder Picture Company, with financing from Lyrical Media, and distribution from A24, and it’s aiming for a full theatrical release targeting the 2025-2026 awards season. As more details emerge and additional cast members are announced, excitement continues to build around this fresh take on the Robin Hood legend. Stay tuned to Collider for more and look for our full interview with Sarnoski soon.