As the world waits to see if Hugh Jackman will once again reprise Wolverine in the upcoming Avengers: Doomsday, movie fans know they’ll definitely get to see the actor in a very different kind of genre project next year. Jackman takes on the titular role in director Michael Sarnoski’s The Death of Robin Hood, which chronicles the fabled hero late in life as he reconciles with the choices he’s made. With this film, Sarnoski is attempting to put a different spin on the Robin Hood story, rather than retell a classic tale audiences are already familiar with. Now, the first look at Jackman’s Robin Hood has been revealed, and it’s reminiscent of his classic comic book character.
Entertainment Weekly shared first-look photos from The Death of Robin Hood as part of its 2026 preview, including a striking image of Jackman’s grizzled Robin Hood looking worse for wear. Also included in the gallery is a picture of Robin Hood sitting with Little John (Bill Skarsgård) and an image of Jodie Comer’s mysterious character. Check out the photos in the space below:
Image Courtesy of A24
Image Courtesy of A24
Image Courtesy of A24
The Death of Robin Hood Could Be Logan for Robin Hood Fans
Hearing Jackman talk about The Death of Robin Hood, it’s hard to not draw parallels between it and Logan. “Robin Hood is a real man in our story. With all the scars, the pain, the regret, and yes, the love,” he said. “Mike’s story has weight to it. For me, it’s beautiful and human.” Couple that with Sarnoski’s description of Robin Hood as a “murderous outlaw who did a lot of terrible things,” it’s clear this is going to be a deep, morally ambiguous portrayal of Robin Hood, which will make Sarnoski’s film stand apart from all of the other adaptations that have graced screens.
The casting of Jackman is quite fitting for The Death of Robin Hood. Part of the character’s arc will be him grappling with his own legacy and status as a hero despite the dark truths underneath. While not a 1:1 comparison, this role could find Jackman exploring similar thematic material to his portrayal of an older Wolverine in Logan. That film similarly provided commentary on the perception of Wolverine as a hero (the in-universe X-Men comic books) as he reached the end of his life. Logan is widely considered to be one of the best comic book adaptations of all time, even earning an Oscar nomination for its writing. Drawing any kind of inspiration from Logan could benefit The Death of Robin Hood.
There have been previous attempts at grittier, darker tellings of Robin Hood in the past, Ridley Scott’s collaboration with Russell Crowe perhaps the most notable example. Scott’s film was not well-received, and ideally The Death of Robin Hood will turn out much better. The pieces are in place for something unique. Not only does it boast an impressive cast, Sarnoski is a director very much on the rise, making a name for himself with Pig and A Quiet Place: Day One. The latter could have just been a basic franchise prequel, but Sarnoski found a strong emotional core that elevated the story, proving he has what it takes to breathe fresh life into familiar concepts.
The main takeaway from these images is that this is not going to be another iteration of the classic Robin Hood adventure where he robs the rich and gives to the poor and becomes a hero amongst the townspeople. And that’s encouraging. Stories like Robin Hood will keep getting told for generations, and it’s important for creatives to find new angles to explore so things don’t get stale. There hasn’t been a mainstream Robin Hood movie along these lines yet, and it will be very interesting to see what Sarnoski has delivered.
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