Organizers of the Cannes Film Festival revealed that director Ridley Scott’s Robin Hood was chosen to kick off the festival on May 12.
Starring Russell Crowe and Cate Blanchett, this new version follows Robin Hood’s debut as an archer in the army of King Richard Coeur de Lion (Lionheart) until his return to Nottingham. He founded a group of mercenaries to defy the sheriff and prevent a civil war.
Sienna Miller was originally cast in the role of Marian but was quoted last year as saying, "The script kept changing and evolving to the point where I was no longer appropriate for it."
She went on to say, "Cate’s 10 years older than me, which is more suitable for the script. If they’d recast with Keira Knightley I’d have been heartbroken but they’ve gone for something different – and better in my opinion. If I had the choice between Cate Blanchett and me I’d go for Cate Blanchett."
Brian Helgeland (
L.A. Confidential
,
Mystic River
) wrote the screenplay.
The film will screen out of competition like Scott’s Thelma and Louise did in 1991. The director has already won at Cannes in 1977 with his first feature film, The Duellist.
Robin Hood hits theatres on May 14. The Cannes Film Festival runs from May 12 until May 23.