While there are a bevy of archers in the world of superheroes like Green Arrow and Hawkeye, there was another archer already defending those in need long before they ever suited up, and that was Robin Hood. The legendary archer who robs from the rich and gives to the poor has had several unique interpretations over the years, but the creators of MGM+’s Robin Hood series have revealed that the latest series actually takes some inspiration from one of DC’s most highly regarded films, Batman Begins.
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ComicBook had the chance to speak with Robin Hood Executive Producers John Glenn and Jonathan English all about the new series, and when asked about any influences, Glenn revealed a few inspirations, but specifically highlighted Batman Begins and Christopher Nolan’s ability to create a world that feels real and as if you could step out the door and find it exists outside.
“I think for both of us, I mean, it’s an origin story our version, right? We’re both huge fans of Nolan and Batman Begins definitely. I’m obsessed with Peaky Blinders. Jonathan absolutely loves Vikings. I love Vikings too, but I just think the ways those shows create a world that you genuinely feel like you’re a part of,” Glenn said. “That you feel exists somewhere outside the front door, so I think those were very influential for us, and just the quality of the writing on shows like Vikings or Peaky Blinders is just so, I just love the writing, so good, so those are influences without a doubt. Very different shows obviously.”
Batman Begins was the film to launch Nolan’s beloved and celebrated Batman trilogy, which would go on to include The Dark Knight and The Dark Knight Rises. Batman Begins set the stage for everything to come though, releasing in 2005 and establishing Christian Bale as Batman and Bruce Wayne, as well as other characters like Scarecrow and Ra’s al Ghul. The film is still widely regarded, holding a critics’ score on Rotten Tomatoes of 85% and an even higher audience score of 94%.
As for Robin Hood, when asked if this was a one-off project or the beginning of a longer story, English definitely has his sights set on the latter. “Definitely the beginning of a larger retelling of Robin Hood that will run for many, many seasons (laughs), we hope. No, we see it as a big scope, there’s a lot of ideas in our minds about how all the characters develop and evolve.”
One of the key additions to this interpretation of Robin Hood is the involvement of Eleanor of Aquitaine, who is actually a major part of the overall Robin Hood mythology once you step outside of the immediate bubble of Robin and the Sheriff, though she has a major connection there as well, and it’s often not explored. That’s all changing in MGM+’s Robin Hood.
“Rob and Marian at the center of the story, but I think one of the key things that we did that was a little different is it’s a little bit more historically connected. Historically believable, and so in that we have sort of this broader historical canvas with Eleanor of Aquitaine at the center of that, who’s never been connected to a Robin Hood story, and yet she is, because King John, or Prince John, is always featured in a lot of the Robin Hood stories, and he’s her son. And you know Richard the Lionheart is often featured in a lot of the Robin Hood stories, and he was her son,” English said.
“In this period, the 12th century, Eleanor was imprisoned in England because she’d rebelled against her husband, Henry II. So she’s there actually at the center of it, and it was a very easy step to make to go, hang on a minute. You know, one of the most fascinating female figures and arguably one of the most powerful women in history can very believably exist in our Robin Hood story, and that really changed everything about where the story can go and the canvas, the broader European canvas,” English said.
“It gets you out of the sort of parochial past versions where you’re just sort of stuck in Sherwood and Nottingham, and we’re expanding the world and we’re going to continue to do that as we move forward,” Glenn said.
Robin Hood will debut on MGM+ on Sunday, November 2, at 9:00 p.m. ET/PT.
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