Hugh Jackman’s The Death of Robin Hood Promises a Dark, Human Take on the Legend

A new Robin Hood movie is on the way — and it’s unlike anything audiences have seen before.

Titled The Death of Robin Hood, the film stars Hugh Jackman, Jodie Comer, and Bill Skarsgård, and is set to arrive in theaters in 2026. Backed by A24 and directed by Michael Sarnoski (Pig, A Quiet Place: Day One), the movie offers a raw, emotional reimagining of the legendary outlaw.

This version of Robin Hood is not the cheerful hero of past films. Instead, Jackman plays an older, scarred man at the end of his life, looking back on his violent past and the myths built around his name. “Robin Hood is a real man in our story,” Jackman said. “With scars, pain, regret, and love. It’s beautiful and human.”

Director Sarnoski explains that the film explores power and how it can be used for good or bad. While many versions focus on Robin stealing from the rich to give to the poor, this story questions that simple idea. Robin is portrayed as a brutal outlaw who lived long enough to see himself turned into folklore — and is now struggling with that image.

Shot in the harsh landscapes of Northern Ireland, the film has a gritty, intense tone. Sarnoski describes it as closer to a war film than a traditional action movie. “Fighting back then was brutal,” he said. “People were in the mud, trying to crack each other’s heads open.”

Bill Skarsgård plays a new version of Little John, once mentored by Robin when he led a group of young fighters. Years later, the two men meet again, shaped by very different views of their past. Jodie Comer plays a mysterious character — not Maid Marian — who introduces Robin to another side of life, bringing emotional depth and sensitivity to the story.

The film was shot on 35mm film, adding a classic, epic feel. For Sarnoski, a lifelong fan of the Robin Hood legend, the project is deeply personal. He drew inspiration from early Robin Hood ballads, which portray the character as both a hero of the common people and a frightening, violent figure.

By focusing on myth, memory, and identity, The Death of Robin Hood aims to tell a powerful story about how legends are born — and what it costs to live inside one.

The Death of Robin Hood is set to debut in theaters in 2026.