No doubt the whole world has seen Russell Crowe as Robin Hood by now, but here he is again anyway. Universal Pictures certainly didn’t waste any time releasing an image of the Kiwi slash Aussie in his medieval get-up, with usatoday.com getting its hands on a copy yesterday.
Despite the fact it does look a helluva lot like the head of General Maximus has simply been plonked on the body of some guy in green holding a bow and arrow.
As usatoday.com points out it is a Ceasar ‘do’ Russ is sporting a la his character in Gladiator, the Academy Award-winning film that was his first collaboration with director Ridley Scott.
The two, which have also been involved together on American Gangster (2007), which was good, and A Good Year (2006), which was bad, are back together for Robin Hood.
Having just begun shooting in England, it is also good to see Big Russ is now not so big – not as Big as he was in his most recent pictures State of Play, which is about to be released and last year’s Body of Lies with Leonardo DiCaprio.
He didn’t even have to slip into the old tights that have become synonymous with the legendary hero.
“He doesn’t have the old Robin Hood tights,” Robin Hood producer Brian Grazer told usatoday. “He’s got armor. He’s very medieval. He looks, if anything, more like he did in Gladiator than anything we’re used to seeing with Robin Hood.”
Grazer went on to say the story of Robin Hood and his merry men was ripe for revitalising, though it has been only 18 years since Kevin Costner took on Alan Rickman in the quite well-done Prince of Thieves. So, I’m not convinced but I’ll go with it.
“Oddly, it’s a metaphor for today,” Grazer says. “He’s trying to create equality in a world where there are a lot of injustices. He’s a crusader for the people, trying to reclaim some of the ill-gotten gains of the wealthy. That’s a universal theme.”
There is no doubt there is some mighty strong talent behind the project too, with Russ being joined by Mark Strong (RocknRolla) as the evil Sir Godfrey and Cate Blanchett as love interest Maid Marion in front of the camera.
And with Scott at the helm, there should be some amazing action.
Grazer says, “We just shot a scene where Maid Marion fires a flaming bow and arrow into the night sky. It’s just a cool story.”
Bring on Maximus Hood.
SOURCES:
usatoday
