History Trivia / RobinHood2010

* FakeBrit: Ironically, despite the film being about a major piece of English folklore, only a couple of major actors are actually English, namely Mark Strong (Godfrey), Mark Addy (Friar Tuck), Matthew Macfadyen (Sheriff of Nottingham), and Eileen Atkins (Eleanor). The other major roles consist of the Australian Russell Crowe (Robin Hood) and Cate Blanchett (Marion), the Canadian Kevin Durand (Little John) and Alan Doyle (Alan A'Dayle), the American Oscar Isaac (King John) and Scott Grimes (Will Scarlet), and the Swedish Max von Sydow (Sir Walter).

* DyeingForYourArt: In response to criticisms that he was too old to play Robin Hood, Creator/RussellCrowe crash dieted before filming began.

* FakeBrit: Ironically, despite the film being about a major piece of English folklore, only a couple of major actors are actually English, namely Mark Strong (Godfrey), Mark Addy (Friar Tuck), Matthew Macfadyen (Sheriff of Nottingham), and Eileen Atkins (Eleanor). The other major roles consist of the Australian Russell Crowe (Robin Hood) and Cate Blanchet (Marion), the Canadian Kevin Durand (Little John) and Alan Doyle (Alan A'Dayle), the American Oscar Isaac (King John) and Scott Grimes (Will Scarlet), and the Swedish Max von Sydow (Sir Walter).

* FakeBrit: Robin and Marion are Australian, King John is Guatemalan, and Sir Walter is Swedish. The Merry Men include two Canadians and an American.

** During the aforementioned cascade of rewrites, Crowe was for a long time attached to play both Robin Hood and the Sheriff of Nottingham, under different excuses: They just happened to be [[ActingForTwo played by the same guy]], Robin was a SplitPersonality of the Sheriff, the Sheriff was [[HiredToHuntYourself posing as Robin]] to make justice while upholding an unjust system... Eventually the whole idea was dropped and it all became a much simpler OriginStory.

** Originally, Crowe was set to play both Robin Hood and Sheriff of Nottingham. The idea was dropped.

* ActorAllusion: Creator/MaxVonSydow as a [[Film/TheSeventhSeal bitter old crusader knight]], huh?

* TypeCasting: Father Tancred, the greedy priest who Friar Tuck replaces, is also the {{jerkass}} Archdeacon in ''Series/{{Rev}}'' and smarmy Fra Pavel in ''Film/TheGoldenCompass''. Corrupt and self-serving men of the cloth seem to be a speciality.

** Creator/SiennaMiller was originally cast as Marion, but was replaced with Creator/CateBlanchett when the powers that be decided to cast a more age-appropriate Marion for Russell Crowe's Robin. Creator/ScarlettJohansson, Creator/EmilyBlunt, Creator/AngelinaJolie, Creator/ZooeyDeschanel, Creator/NataliePortman, Creator/AnnabelleWallis, Creator/RachelWeisz, Creator/KateWinslet, Creator/NicoleKidman, Creator/NaomiWatts, Creator/MarionCotillard and Creator/CharlizeTheron were all considered for the role.

** Creator/JeanReno, Creator/TomerSisley and Creator/GuillaumeGallienne were considered for roles in this film.

* TroubledProduction: As noted in this [[http://www.boldoutlaw.com/robint/reiff.html interview]], the script got hit with extensive re-writes, turning it from a SympatheticPOV story of the Sheriff of Nottingham, to a [[Film/FightClub Fight Club-esque]] story, to an origins story of the title character. Also, Crowe and Scott weren't getting along well on set, which eventually soured their relationship. In addition to that, the film's budget had ballooned from 155 million to around 200 million according to some sources and around 16 minutes were cut before its theatrical release (which were latter reinserted into the home video release).

* TheCastShowOff: Alan Doyle, the actor who played one of Robin's cohorts (Allan A'Dayle), is the lead singer of the Canadian band Great Big Sea. He sings throughout the movie, usually while playing a stringed instrument.

* TroubledProduction: As noted in the extensive re-writes listed under WhatCouldHaveBeen, Scott and Crowe weren't getting along well on set, which eventually soured their relationship. In addition to that, the film's budget has ballooned to around 200 million according to some sources and around 16 minutes were cut before its theatrical release.

** Creator/SiennaMiller was originally cast as Maid Marian, but dropped out. Creator/ScarlettJohansson, Creator/EmilyBlunt, Creator/AngelinaJolie, Creator/ZooeyDeschanel, Creator/NataliePortman, Creator/AnnabelleWallis, Creator/RachelWeisz, Creator/KateWinslet, Creator/NicoleKidman, Creator/NaomiWatts, Creator/MarionCotillard and Creator/CharlizeTheron were all considered for the role.
** Creator/RhysIfans was rumored for the role of King Richard, but CreatorDannyHuston was cast.

* ExecutiveMeddling: Probably to shorten running time, a key scene was cut from the theatrical cut [[spoiler: where Robin comes out as an impostor of Sir Robert Loxley.]] In the present version [[spoiler: we are led to believe that Robin successfully maintained his deception until the battle scene where suddenly everyone is cheering him by his real name Longstride.]] This creates a plot hole because [[spoiler: John outlaws him partly for impersonating a knight.]] Nearly 20 minutes of footage were cut, but were restored in the [[ReCut home video release]].

* WhatCouldHaveBeen: [[http://www.boldoutlaw.com/robint/reiff.html As detailed in an interview]] with one of the original writers, [[http://www.raindance.co.uk/site/picture/upload/image/books/Nottingham.pdf the original script (PDF file)]], titled ''Nottingham'', was about a heroic Sheriff of Nottingham who is caught up between a power struggle between John and Richard - while at the same time investigating serial killings in the area. Robin Hood, portrayed as a self-serving rogue, is a RedHerring suspect of the murders, but in the end he and the Sheriff work together to resolve the conflicts. The script was bought by Universal, and Russell Crowe and Creator/RidleyScott got on board. The script was rewritten to make Robin Hood an alter ego of the Sheriff, and then the original story was replaced entirely. The only thing the original script and the final product have in common (besides the general subject matter) is making the Queen Mother Eleanor of Aquitaine a key supporting character. What makes this bad is the realization that the screenwriters of ''Nottingham'' have no rights over their unused script, essentially leaving another original and unique take on Robin Hood unable to be used, and the writers with no involvement on the finished, Brian Helgeland-written product save co-writing credits. That's cold.

* ExecutiveMeddling: Probably to shorten running time, a key scene was cut from the theatrical cut [[spoiler: where Robin comes out as an impostor of Sir Robert Loxley.]] In the present version [[spoiler: we are led to believe that Robin successfully maintained his deception until the battle scene where suddenly everyone is cheering him by his real name Longstride.]] This creates a plothole because [[spoiler: John outlaws him partly for impersonating a knight.]] Nearly 20 minutes of footage were cut, but were restored in the [[ReCut home video release]].

* HeyItsThatGuy:
** [[Film/{{Gladiator}} Maximus]] is Robin Hood.
** [[Film/TheLordOfTheRings Galadriel]] is Lady Marion.
** [[Film/TheExorcist Father Merrin]] is Walter.
** [[Series/GameOfThrones King Robert Baratheon]] is Friar Tuck.
** [[Series/{{Lost}} Martin Keamy]] is Little John(!!!).
** [[Literature/PrideAndPrejudice Mr. Darcy]] is the Sheriff of Nottingham.
** [[Film/KickAss Frank D'Amico]] is Sir Godfrey.
** [[{{Wolverine}} William Stryker]] is King Richard the Lionheart.
** [[Film/TheForceAwakens Poe Dameron]] is King John.
** [[{{Comicbook/IncredibleHulk}} General Ross]] (2008 film version) is William Marshal.
** [[Film/InglouriousBasterds Perrier La Padite]] (the French peasant from the beginning) is one of the French messengers.
** [[Film/InglouriousBasterds Charlotte La Padite]] is Queen Isabella.
** [[BandOfBrothers Don Malarkey]] is Will Scarlet.
* HeyItsThatVoice: If you happen to be a fan of the Newfoundland band Great Big Sea, you'll get a surprise when Allan A'Dayle starts singing...

** [[Film/InsideLlewynDavis Llewyn Davis]] is King John.

** [[KickAss Frank D'Amico]] is Sir Godfrey.

** [[{{Gladiator}} Maximus]] is Robin Hood.
** [[TheLordOfTheRings Galadriel]] is Lady Marion.

** [[{{Lost}} Martin Keamy]] is Little John(!!!).
** [[{{PrideAndPrejudice}} Mr. Darcy]] is the Sheriff of Nottingham.

* TypeCasting: Father Tancred, the greedy priest who Friar Tuck replaces, is also the {{jerkass}} Archdeacon in ''Series/{{Rev}}'' and smarmy Fra Pavel in ''TheGoldenCompass''. Corrupt and self-serving men of the cloth seem to be a speciality.

** [[GameOfThrones King Robert Baratheon]] is Friar Tuck.

* HeyItsThatGuy

* HeyItsThatVoice: If you happen to be a fan of the Newfoundland band Great Big Sea, you'll get a surprise when Allan A' Dale starts singing...

** [[InsideLlewynDavis Llewyn Davis]] is King John.

** [[{{SherlockHolmes}} Lord Blackwood]] is Sir Godfrey.

** [[Literature/{{TheBible}} Joseph]] (from ''The Nativity Story'') is King John.

** [[TheFlintstones Fred Flintstone]] (2nd live action version) is Friar Tuck.

** [[{{PrideAndPrejudice}} Darcy]] is the Sheriff of Nottingham.

** [[TheExorcist Father Merrin]] is Walter.

** [[TheLordOfTheRings Galadriel]] is [[strike:Maid]] Lady Marion.

** [[{{TheBible}} Joseph]] (from ''The Nativity Story'') is King John.

** [[InglouriousBasterds Perrier La Padite]] (the French peasant from the beginning) is one of the French messengers.
** [[InglouriousBasterds Charlotte La Padite]] is Queen Isabella.

* [=~Hey, It's That Guy!~=]