A few months back we reported that Russell Crowe was planning to star in Nottingham, a revisionist take on the legend of Robin Hood with the Sheriff of Nottingham as a good guy. Today comes the news that Crowe’s directorial BFF (that’s “best friend forever” for those of you over 30) Ridley Scott has signed on to direct the project.
This time around, the Sheriff of Nottingham is not so much with the calling off Christmas and cutting hearts out with spoons. Instead, he’s an honest, noble lawman working under a corrupt King (ah, so no revisionism for poor John then), caught in a love triangle with Maid Marion and Robin. So we guess they’re good guys too, but just caught on opposite sides of the law. The potential for tragedy is huge – think a Western in jollie olde Englande.
Shooting is due to start next year, with Scott still to lock **American Gangster and already committed to filming Body of Lies first with Leonardo DiCaprio this autumn (won’t Leo’s BFF Marty be jealous?). The script for Nottingham **is by Ethan Reiff and Cyrus Voris, creators of the TV show Sleeper Cell – which perhaps means that they know a thing or two about seeing things from the other side.
So is this a good idea? Well, it sounds like it. Scott’s familiar with the time period, at least – Kingdom of Heaven was set around the same time, during the Crusades that drew King Richard away from England and left his good-for-nothing brother John in charge (still, if he hadn’t we wouldn’t have the Magna Carta and democracy’d be buggered, so it’s all for the best really). And this will mark the fourth time he’s worked with Crowe, after Gladiator, A Good Year and the forthcoming American Gangster. Let’s hope it’s more with the chopping off heads with two swords and less with the wine appreciation, eh?