Ridley Scott's 'Robin Hood' Back Under the Knife

Remember Roger Friedman? He's the former Fox News columnist fired for watching the leaked version of Wolverine. Anyway, he didn't stay on the mat very long, back with a new website called Showbiz411, and he reports (via Slashfilm) that Ridley Scott 's already troubled production of Robin Hood is now facing more drama. Friedman cites sources who claim that playwright Tom Stoppard, best known to movie fans for his Shakespeare in Love script, is rewriting the entire movie. This is a pretty big deal because Robin Hood is currently in production, and while there may exist a great film that has emerged from this triage approach of fixing what you can on the fly, there isn't one that leaps to mind. But the film's production schedule has already been delayed for months and the screenplay has already had one well-publicized alteration courtesy of Brian Helgeland. Both Helgeland and Stoppard are wizards with memorable dialogue, although Stoppard is probably the more accomplished writer. He's actually a perfect fit for the story, but since Ridley is probably working this as an action movie, that's where the Stoppard hiring loses some traction. The movie's got a great cast - Russell Crowe, Cate Blanchett, Vanessa Redgrave, Mark Strong - and I'm certainly not giving up on Robin Hood yet, but if they pull this off now with everything that's gone on in the last six months, I'll be amazed.

Comments

[Lengthy Johnson]

Apocalypse Now was (in)famously rewritten over and over again by Coppola on set.

I believe Peter Jackson kept rewriting the Lord of the Rings trilogy on set as well.

But it's not the preferred way.

Ridley Scott has been a by-word for very smooth big productions but I am seriously beginning to question his abilities.

His three latest films were pretty nice but also rather bland for a guy who gave us Allien, Blade Runner and Gladiator.

Although not ageist, I think that Ridley would benefit from a reduced schedule and focusing on producing maybe one or two more masterpieces of modern cinema.

In short, please do Blade Runner 2 and cut the run-of-the-mill stuff, Ridley.