That 'Bourne' director’s action epic? Turns out it’s a Robin Hood prequel

If you thought Robin Hood films were on pause, think again—2026 apparently wants two of them. And no, I don’t mean some half-baked streaming special. We’re talking big names, serious directors, and, oddly enough, both leads have “former Marvel superhero” on the CV.

The Death of Robin Hood, starring Hugh Jackman, took in $11 million at the box office—still short of that $20-million budget.

Earlier this year, The Death of Robin Hood from A24 landed in cinemas. Hugh Jackman swapped claws for a quiver and went medieval, though the film barely made half its budget back worldwide. The next entry is cut from a different cloth: Paul Greengrass, he of Bourne Ultimatum and United 93 fame, is bringing out his own riff with The Uprising—and this one stars Andrew Garfield.

Marketing, Rebellions, and Myths

Here’s where things get a bit murky. Until very recently, The Uprising didn’t scream Robin Hood at all. Instead, it’s described as a dramatic take on the Peasants' Revolt of 1381. Garfield leads as a mysterious figure called "The Plowman", rallying the masses against King Richard II. The cast includes Jamie Bell, Katherine Waterston, Tom Hollander, Thomasin McKenzie, Johnny Lee Miller, and Dónal Finn, so it’s not short on recognisable faces.

The big nudge toward Robin Hood comes with the latest marketing. New promos now use the tagline "The Rise of Robin Hood." It’s an original script from Greengrass and produced by Jason Blum. From the start, this project was flirting with the legend—when first announced in 2022, the working title was The Hood. Having Garfield play "The Plowman" isn’t random either: the earliest literary mention of Robin Hood is tied to the 14th-century poem Piers Plowman, where a character named Robin Hood first pops up in English verse. So, not a retelling—the film is more a hunt for the roots of the myth itself.

Robin Hood: A Perennial Reboot?

If this all sounds a bit déjà vu, you’re not wrong. Hollywood’s been circling Robin Hood’s origin for a while now. Ridley Scott went full gritty-reboot in 2010’s Robin Hood with Russell Crowe, clearly eyeing what Chris Nolan did with Batman just a few years prior. Then, the 2018 Robin Hood (Taron Egerton) tried on a comic-book vibe, and at one point was actually called Robin Hood Origins during production. The Uprising, though, looks to distance itself from the cape-and-tights routine by focusing on the actual history that laid the groundwork for our leafy outlaw. Think less “secret identity” and more myth-making—much like what In the Heart of the Sea did for Moby Dick.

• The Uprising opens in cinemas 11 September 2026, the same weekend as Practical Magic 2 from Warner Bros.

As for why Focus Features is suddenly touting it as a Robin Hood film? Box office logic, plain and simple. Historically, Robin Hood’s name has struggled to put bums in seats since Kevin Costner swung in with 1991’s Prince of Thieves. But Garfield plus Greengrass could finally be the combo that brings the Arrowed One out of box-office exile.