Peacock Just Added Russell Crowe’s $321 Million Blockbuster

If you’ve been dying to revisit Ridley Scott’s take on one of England’s most famous legends—or you’re just curious how Russell Crowe handles a bow and arrow—you’re in luck. As of today, the 2010 Robin Hood movie (the one with Crowe, not Kevin Costner, not the fox, not Taron Egerton) is streaming on Peacock. And yeah, this is the big-budget, all-star attempt from Universal that didn’t exactly set the world on fire when it came out.

Russell Crowe as Robin Hood—Now on Peacock

Here’s the deal: Robin Hood dropped back in 2010 with Russell Crowe putting on ye olde leather armor as Robin Longstride (that’s Robin Hood’s non-superhero name, in case you forgot). Ridley Scott, master of epic period battles, was in the director’s chair, and the cast list just kept going: Cate Blanchett was Marian, Oscar Isaac was a particularly slimy Prince John, and you got William Hurt, Mark Addy, Danny Huston, Matthew Macfadyen—the gang’s all here. Even Léa Seydoux shows up before her Bond days.

The movie is, unsurprisingly, about Robin stealing from the rich and giving to the poor. But Scott and company add their own spin: Robin’s an archer just back from the Crusades, England’s in meltdown after King Richard Lionheart is killed, and the Sheriff of Nottingham (Macfadyen) is turning the tax screws on the villagers. Marion (Blanchett) is not your usual damsel—she’s sharp, suspicious, and takes a while to warm up to our hero. Before long, Robin’s getting a crew together to take on the local corruption…and then, as these things go, he stumbles into trying to save England itself.

Here’s What Went On Behind the Scenes

• Ridley Scott directed (of course)
• Brian Helgeland wrote the script
• The producers? Michael Costigan, Ryan Kavanaugh, Jim Whitaker, Charles J.D. Schlissel, plus heavy hitters like Crowe, Scott himself, and Brian Grazer
• John Mathieson was on cinematography, Pietro Scalia edited, Marc Streitenfeld did the score, Arthur Max handled production design—so, technically, it was a team of top talent

The Reception: Mixed, to Put It Politely

Robin Hood had a massive budget—reportedly around $237 million, so Universal was betting on a blockbuster. And while the worldwide box office haul hit $321 million, that’s not exactly a home run after you factor in marketing and other expenses (studios love to fudge these numbers, but still).

Critics were, let’s say, divided. Some liked the grittier vibe and the cast, others thought it tried to do too much and lost the fun of the legend. Personally, I remember thinking this movie wanted to be Gladiator but with more trees, less emotional punch.

So, Should You Watch It?

Look, it’s not the final word on Robin Hood film adaptations, but if you’re in the mood for medieval action, impressive sets, and Russell Crowe giving 110% (seriously, does the man ever phone it in?), it’s worth a look. And if you skipped it in theaters back in the day—and a lot of people did—streaming on Peacock is basically risk-free.

'After the death of Richard the Lion-Hearted, a skilled archer named Robin Longstride travels to Nottingham, where villagers suffer under a despotic sheriff and crippling taxation. He meets and falls in love with a spirited widow, Marion, although she