Summary

• Robin Hood has been a beloved character for generations, teaching us about heroism and hope in the face of adversity.
• While some adaptations have tried to make Robin Hood darker and grittier, it's the magic and optimism he represents that truly captivates audiences.
• From Taron Egerton's modern take to Russell Crowe's epic portrayal, each adaptation brings a unique perspective to the iconic character, but not all succeed in capturing his essence.

Robin Hood and his legends are responsible for teaching generations of children, and adults, what it means to be a hero, and it's no wonder Hollywood can't stop using the character in movies. While any public domain intellectual property is attractive on its own, the movie industry seems to enjoy bringing Robin Hood to the screen. A mysterious man who lives in the woods with his friends getting up to mischief and adventure, all while stealing from the rich to give to the poor, can serve as the premise for great cinematic stories after all.

To adapt a story this famous and try to capture the essence of a character this iconic, is no small task. It's an undertaking that is taken seriously by filmmakers, to mixed results. In recent years there has been an attempt to create a dark, "grittier", more realistic Robin Hood, but that doesn't always work. The importance of Robin Hood has nothing to do with the actual living conditions of England in the 12th century, it's about the hope and magic he represents. This is something not every Robin Hood adaptation has managed to capture.

10 Robin Hood

Lionsgate Films, 2018

While Taron Egerton elevates this Robin Hood retelling, little can save it from its fate of being too gritty for its own good. This version feels closer to the superhero show Arrow than to the legend of Robin. Egerton's Robin even refers to himself as "the Hood". Directed by Otto Bathurst, whose credits include Peaky Blinders and Black Mirror, it's not surprising that the modern adaptation went for the action approach and the vigilante angle of the story.

As with many modern movies, Robin Hood (2018) tries and fails to tackle class consciousness properly and deeply. Egerton's desire to lead a revolution comes off as especially disingenuous when put in the context of the sleek action sequences. From the color palette to the "serious" archery in the film, this adaptation feels empty when compared to its predecessors.

9 The Prince Of Thieves

Columbia Pictures, 1948

The Prince Of Thieves may not have the effect, color grading, or budget that some of the other films on the list can boast, but this 1948 adaptation has an interesting take on the classic tale. Foregoing some of the most synonymous plot points like the archery competition, Robin meeting Little John, and revolving around the rescue of a young woman betrothed against her will. This version is based on the French novel Le Prince des voleurs and is a classic adventure B-movie, common for Hollywood at the time. The film concludes with a double wedding and a reasonable, if not memorable, addition to the Robin Hood canon.

8 Robin Hood

Universal Pictures, 2010

Russell Crowe is in many Ridley Scott movies as a man fighting against insurmountable odds. After the pair's team up for Gladiator they came together to bring the 2010 Robin Hood to life. ed by other well-known actors like Cate Blanchett as Marion and Oscar Issac as Prince John, this version does have a touch too much grittiness, but makes up for it with some excellent performances. This time, Crowe's Robin is not a disgraced lord at all, but a common soldier who takes on the identity of Loxley and eventually leads the entire British army against a corrupt king. Certainly a more epic take on a story that usually confines itself to Sherwood Forest.

7 Robin And Marian

Columbia Pictures, 1976

Sean Connery and Audrey Hepburn play aging and cynical versions of the lovers in the 1976, Robin And Marian. This is a fresh angle for a couple that is usually assumed to have their happily ever after, and that's that. However, in this fictional future, the pair have become estranged. Marian has become a nun after Robin broke her heart and ran off and Robin has been fighting in the never-ending crusades beside Little John and King Richard. When they reunite, their love is rekindled anew, but the end of the film has both characters die together, in a bittersweet challenge to the myth of Robin Hood.

While there is plenty of room for challenge and interpretation in Robin's story, it is questionable whether it was the right vehicle for an allegory about growing up and becoming disillusioned. Robin And Marian doesn't go overboard with scale and action sequences, but it does show a harsh and unforgiving world, with few bright spots. The media is inundated with examples of just that, and Robin always played the role of answering whether or not the audience is allowed to hold on to their hope. At his best, the answer is yes.

6 Rogues Of Sherwood Forest

Columbia Pictures, 1950

Rogues Of Sherwood Forest flips the story of Robin, by centering around his son, also named Robin, played by John Derek. Eventually, the new Robin falls in love with his own Marianne and s forces with all of his friends of old, including Little John, Alan-a-dale, Friar Tuck, and Will Scarlet. In the end, Robin wins Marianne's hand and defeats the army of King John. Seeing the next generation of Robin Hood, and what may come after his reign in Sherwood Forest ends, is a fun twist to a story that can feel repetitive after all these years. This Robin also is credited, in the film, with being the one to get the King of England to sign the Magna Carta.

5 Robin Hood: Men In Tights

20th Century Fox, 1993

There are plenty of things that make no sense in Robin Hood: Men In Tights. Many of the off-color jokes would not fly in a parody of the Robin Hood genre today. Upon a re-watch, the pace is surprisingly slow, and the plot needless confusing, even for an adaptation meant to be off-kilter. However, there are just as many moments that are genuinely funny and let the audience in on the joke that is some of the more overdone Robin Hood tropes. Although closer to the tone of a Monty Python sketch than a serious film, Mel Brook's Men In Tights still captures more of the spirit of Robin Hood than the dark dramas that followed in the coming decades.

4 Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves

Warner Bros., 1991

The controversy of Kevin Costner's attempt at a British accent aside, the 1991 classic still holds up when compared to some of the less successful adaptations. Alan Rickman as the Sheriff of Nottingham is one of his greatest performances and provides a villain the audience can't help loving to hate. Choosing to lean into the elements of the script on the funny side, Rickman reminds the viewer that while Robin's story may feel like life or death, it's still a lighthearted tale meant to teach lessons and provide entertainment. This version does everyone the favor of not believing it needs to be taken seriously, it can just be a lot of fun.

3 The Court Jester

Paramount Pictures, 1955

The lesser-known musical-comedy The Court Jester starring Danny Kaye as Hubert Hawkins, the Robin stand-in, is as heartwarming as it is fun. The songs as catchy and sweet, and Kaye brings a warmth and silliness to the role that many adaptations could do with a little more of. Basil Rathbone reprises his early role as an antagonist to Robin in The Adventures Of Robin Hood and brings to life another fabulous sword-fighting scene with Danny Kaye. Kaye embodies a bumbling, more relatable Robin type, but still manages to beat the bad guy and get the girl, in the end.

2 Robin Hood

Walt Disney Studios, 1973

While not the most accurate to legend, Disney's 1973 animated adaptation, Robin Hood, has one charming fox playing Robin of Locksley. Brian Bedford voices the anthropomorphic fox and is not the only voice actor who balances the comedy of this children's adaptation with the gravity of introducing a generation to a new version of the hero. Another movie musical, Disney's Robin Hood didn't perform particularly well for the studio, but it's well ed by anyone who watched it during their childhood. Perhaps the loose take on the stories, Disney's Robin Hood still managed to tackle some of the more dangerous stunts audiences have seen Robin accomplish over the years.

1 The Adventures Of Robin Hood

Warner Bros., 1938

There is no question that The Adventures Of Robin Hood, starring Errol Flynn, isn't the definitive adaptation of the legend of Robin Hood. The colors, the sets, the performances, and the story bring to life the one vital element of every Robin Hood adaptation, the heart. Errol Flynn embodies Robin Hood in every way. He's charming, gallant, mischievous, romantic, the list goes on. His chemistry with Marian (Olivia de Havilland) is only rivaled by his with Guy of Gisbourne (Basil Rathbone).

It's in this adaptation that Rathbone first established his ties as a villain synonymous with Robin's tale. The sword fight between Rathbone and Flynn goes down in history as a beautifully choreographed and exciting action sequence without some of the more unnecessary frills that are added in later adaptations. By no means perfect, The Adventures Of Robin Hood comes as close as it gets out of all of Robin Hood's iterations.