The Death of Robin Hood (dir. Michael Sarnoski)

by Jack Martin | Sep 5, 2026

Certificate: 15

Running Time: 123 mins

UK Distributor: True Brit Entertainment

UK Release Date: 2 September 2026

WHO’S IN THE DEATH OF ROBIN HOOD?

Hugh Jackman, Jodie Comer, Bill Skarsgård, Murray Bartlett, Noah Jupe, Faith Delaney, Clive Russell, Jade Croot

WHO’S BEHIND THE CAMERA?

Michael Sarnoski (director, writer), Alexander Black, Hugh Jackman, Aaron Ryder and Andrew Swett (producers), Jim Ghedi (composer), Pat Scola (cinematographer), Andrew Mondshein (editor)

WHAT’S IT ABOUT?

An aging Robin Hood (Jackman) reflects on his murderous days as an infamous outlaw…

WHAT ARE MY THOUGHTS ON THE DEATH OF ROBIN HOOD?

Throughout British history, we’ve celebrated and condemned many characters who have had an impact on our culture and society. Every November 5th, for instance, we mark Guy Fawkes’s failed attempt to blow up Parliament by burning effigies of him or other reviled figures on bonfires. We also reserve a day out of the year to commemorate St. George and his fight with the mythical dragon. Hell, there’s even a museum dedicated to Sherlock Holmes located on Baker Street itself. The point being, we seem to have rather idealistic views to this very day of figures that may not have even existed.

Then, there’s Robin Hood. Pretty much everyone knows the swashbuckling adventures of the fabled outlaw who, armed with his bow and arrow as well as his band of Merry Men, stole from the rich and gave to the poor, a timeless tale of good-versus-evil that’s been immortalised in films where the likes of Errol Flynn, Kevin Costner, Russell Crowe and even an animated fox have taken on the title role. But, as writer-director Michael Sarnoski argues in his bleak revisionist drama The Death of Robin Hood, is it possible that the myth has overtaken the man himself? A man who was probably much more of a bastard than any iteration of him could ever suggest? And could that man, even as he approaches his last breath, be redeemed for a life that’s full of unforgiving brutality instead of light-hearted banter?

These are all fascinating questions to ask, and Sarnoski does as well as he can to answer as many of them as he can. But the film itself is a bit of a strange experience, always teasing a much more hardened movie than it actually is, while delivering something that is more studious and contemplative than action-packed or even that violent (though make no mistake, there’s plenty of that here too). Yet, it remains interesting enough for you to remain curious about where it’s all headed, even if that destination isn’t quite the one you were predicting.

The film takes place in a world where Robin Hood (Hugh Jackman) was far from the heroic figure we know him as, but rather a murderous brute who gleefully killed people – including children – for the sheer pleasure of it. We pick up on him much later in life, practically a hermit living in self-imposed exile within the hills of Northern England, and killing anyone who dares climb up to take their bloody vengeance on him. However, after an incident involving Little John (Bill Skarsgård) and his young daughter Little Margaret (Faith Delaney), Robin finds himself gravely injured and is subsequently transported to a priory on a remote island, where the prioress Sister Brigid (Jodie Comer) helps him recover. It is there where Robin begins to reckon with the violent life he has led, in addition to bonding with the traumatised Margaret, which leads him to an ultimate decision about what kind of person he wishes to be known for when the inevitable finally happens.

Anyone expecting this to go deep into Logan territory – the overall stronger movie wherein an aged and hardened Hugh Jackman comes to the aid of a young girl and faces his mortality in the process – will be quite disappointed with the more sombre direction in which Sarnoski’s script heads. The majority of the action, and even then there isn’t that much to speak of, is reserved for the first act where things do get quite brutal as throats are slashed, hands are sliced, and people (regardless of age) have arrows shot into the back of their head and straight through their eyehole. But once that’s done, the film settles into being a quieter and more character-heavy drama where Robin slowly bonds with people at this priory, from Comer’s Brigid to the waif Margaret to a friendly leper (Murray Bartlett) whose real identity is something of an unexpected surprise for fans of the Robin Hood lore.

There isn’t anything fundamentally wrong with that approach, especially as Sarnoski is quite good at steadily building momentum amongst these characters and giving them more than enough room to breathe and be interesting on their own terms away from the violent set-pieces. It’s a well-made film, with the striking cinematography emphasising the bleak and dreary landscapes of constant fog and overcast skies, while a soothing musical score underscores the folklore from which this character has emerged. The acting as well is all around solid, with Jackman doing a fine job at bringing this more rugged and world-weary version of the character to life, while Comer has some great scenes that further mark her as an extraordinary emotional talent.

But the problem is that, for a film titled The Death of Robin Hood, you’d expect the final days of a widely regarded heroic figure to be maybe a bit more eventful than how they’re presented here. It doesn’t have to be Logan exactly, but maybe something to give viewers more than just a bunch of slow-moving scenes and occasional abstract imagery, as well as plot strands like one involving Noah Jupe’s vengeful young man which arguably goes nowhere. Instead, it’s a bit of a patience-tester, one that is bound to divide audiences who may be expecting something else entirely when they’re being sold on a darker, more gruesome version of Robin Hood.

Luckily, there’s enough to appreciate about The Death of Robin Hood to warrant a watch, from its strong production values to its hard-hitting themes of legacy and mythologising (in one fascinating instance, Robin and Skarsgård struggle to comprehend if an event they’re reminiscing about actually happened or was just part of the story). But anyone going in expecting it to be a redux of Logan – just swap adamantium claws for a bow and arrow – may find themselves wishing for their own death.

SO, TO SUM UP…

The Death of Robin Hood is a much quieter and more contemplative drama than the ultra-violent thriller it’s being sold as, which isn’t all bad since it’s well-made and strongly acted enough to work as well as it can, but its slow pace and light narrative may turn off viewers with little patience.