The Death of Robin Hood Review: Hugh Jackman Stars in A24's Dour Revisionist Take on the Legend
Michael Sarnoski's 'The Death of Robin Hood,' starring Hugh Jackman as an aged, morally compromised Robin Hood, opens in theaters June 19, 2026, distributed by A24. The film reimagines the folk hero as a murderous outlaw seeking redemption in his final days, drawing frequent comparisons to James Mangold's 'Logan.' Critics largely praised Jackman's performance and the film's visual craft while dividing sharply on whether its relentless bleakness achieves genuine profundity.
Directed by Michael Sarnoski ('Pig,' 'A Quiet Place: Day One') and based on the 17th-century ballad 'Robin Hood's Death,' the film depicts a grizzled, grey-bearded Robin Hood in 1247 AD — a brutal, self-aware criminal rather than a charitable hero — who is gravely wounded in a final skirmish and taken in by a compassionate abbess, Sister Brigid (Jodie Comer), at a remote priory. The ensemble cast includes Bill Skarsgård as Little John, Murray Bartlett as a philosophical leper, Noah Jupe as a revenge-seeking young man, and newcomer Faith Delaney as an orphaned girl who bonds with Robin. Pat Scola's 35mm cinematography, which shifts aspect ratios and color palettes between the film's brutal first act and its more contemplative second two-thirds, was universally singled out for praise. Variety and IndieWire offered measured but respectful assessments, crediting the film's ambition and Jackman's haunted performance while noting the character remains somewhat unknowable and the pacing unrelenting. The Hollywood Reporter was the most critical, calling it a 'tedious slog' that never achieves the profundity it aims for, while Deadline was the most enthusiastic, describing Jackman's performance as unlike anything he has previously given. Early social media reactions echoed the split, with some calling it a generational reimagining and others labeling it a 'snore.'
What's missing
No reviews disclosed the film's production budget or box office expectations, which would help contextualize A24's decision to release it as summer counter-programming.
How coverage differed
Deadline framed the film as a bold, demanding triumph and Jackman's career-best performance, while The Hollywood Reporter was notably more dismissive, calling it a 'dour' and 'tedious slog' whose protagonist is too off-putting to engage with — reflecting a meaningful divergence in critical enthusiasm rather than political framing.
What different sources said
- The Hollywood ReporterCenter
'The Death of Robin Hood' Review: Hugh Jackman in Revisionist Take
- DeadlineCenter
'The Death Of Robin Hood' Review: Hugh Jackman In New Take On Legend
- VarietyCenter
‘The Death of Robin Hood’ Review: Hugh Jackman and Michael Sarnoski Make a Grizzled, Anguished Antihero of the Valiant Outlaw
- MovieWebCenter
Robin Hood Gets 'Logan' Treatment in Reactions to Action-Adventure Thriller
- IndieWireCenter
‘The Death of Robin Hood’ Review: Hugh Jackman Terrorizes Nottingham in a Ferociously Grim Character Study About How Legends Are Forged
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