Robin Hood to open Cannes Film Festival
British director Ridley Scott's new film Robin Hood, starring Russell Crowe, has been selected to open the annual Cannes Film Festival in May.
The film, about the birth of the Robin Hood legend, also stars Cate Blanchett as Maid Marian, and William Hurt.
Russell Crowe’s Robin Hood is to open this year’s Cannes Film Festival.
The Gladiator star plays the famous British outlaw in Ridley Scott’s eagerly awaited action epic, with Cate Blanchett, Mark Strong and William Hurt also featuring in the movie. Robin Hood has been described as an origin tale.
The film will premiere on May 12 at Cannes, with the movie being released two days later in British cinemas.
Blanchett was recently seen in The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
The film, which was originally touted to feature Sienna Miller as Maid Marian, has undergone several rewrites, with Crowe at one point mooted to play both Robin and his nemesis the Sheriff of Nottingham.
It isn't the first time Ridley Scott has had a film shown in Cannes– with 1977’s The Duellists and 1991’s Thelma and Louise both appearing at the prestigious film festival.
British actor Matthew Macfadyen - best known as Mr Darcy to Keira Knightley's Elizabeth Bennet in Pride & Prejudice - will now play the Sheriff.
Previous actors to tackle the Robin Hood role include Sean Connery, Errol Flynn and Kevin Costner.
The movie reunites Crowe, 45, and Scott, 72, who first worked together on the hit 2000 movie Gladiator.
However subsequent collaborations, including 2008's Body of Lies and wine comedy A Good Year (2006), have proved less successful.
It is only Scott's third appearance at the French festival. His early work, The Duellists, appeared in competition in 1977, winning the Best First Work award. Thelma and Louise screened out of competition in 1991.
Robin Hood - originally entitled Nottingham - was adapted for the big screen by Brian Helgeland, who won an Oscar in 1997 for LA Confidential.
Director Tim Burton will head the jury at this year's Cannes Film Festival. Last year's opening film was the hit animated film Up, which won two Oscars earlier this month.