The legend of the heroic outlaw Robin Hood stretches all the way back to the Middle Ages. As the story generally goes, after returning from the crusades to find the people in his hometown of Nottingham were being financially abused by Prince John and his sheriff in the absence of King Richard, Robin recruited Little John, Will Scarlet, and Friar Tuck to his outlaw band of Merry Men.
Robin stole from the rich and gave to the poor, and wooed Maid Marian along the way. Great stories deserve great storytelling, so there have been several major cinematic iterations of the hood over the years, and here's how IMDb ranks them!
Robin Hood (2018) - 5.3
Otto Bathurst (Peaky Blinders, Black Mirror) became the most recent director to take on Robin Hood when he made the jump from television to the big screen with Robin Hood (2018).
Unfortunately, audiences didn't much care for Bathurst's version, and critics enjoyed it even less, but the heavy dose of action and notable cast of Taron Egerton (Kingsmen, Rocketman), Jamie Dornan (Fifty Shades series), Ben Mendelsohn (Rogue One), and Oscar-winners Jamie Foxx and F. Murray Abraham are still entertaining.
Robin Hood (1991) - 5.7
Originally intended to have a theatrical release, Robin Hood (1991) instead had its American premiere on the Fox network thanks to a more popular Robin Hood movie set to release a month later (we'll get to that later), though it still had a theatrical run in Europe, Asia, and Australia.
The movie was directed by John Irvin (Raw Deal) and produced by John McTiernan (Predator, Last Action Hero), so it's a shame there wasn't a part for Arnold Schwarzenegger, though an early role was provided for Uma Thurman (Kill Bill) as Maid Marian.
Sword Of Sherwood Forest (1960) - 5.9
Terence Fisher's Sword of Sherwood Forest (1960) marked the first time that an actor starred as Robin Hood after previously doing so, as Richard Greene played the same character on the popular television series The Adventures of Robin Hood from 1955-1960.
While keeping many of the familiar core characters, new original storylines and players become incorporated as the story's antagonist - the Earl of Newark - hatches a plan to murder the Archbishop of Canterbury, which Robin and Marian set out to foil.
Robin And Marian (1976) - 6.5
The Logan (2017) of Robin Hood movies, Robin and Marian (1976) focuses on an aging Robin many years after his exploits in Nottingham. When Robin and Little John return home after losing their close friend King Richard in war, he learns Marian has since joined a convent before being unjustly arrested by the sheriff, prompting Robin to face his nemesis one last time to save the woman he loves.
The movie boasts a strong cast with Sean Connery, Audrey Hepburn, Robert Shaw (Jaws), and Richard Harris (Harry Potter).
Robin Hood (2010) - 6.6
From four-time Oscar-nominated director Ridley Scott, the 2010 Robin Hood tells the gritty story of a Robin (Russell Crowe) with non-traditional origins.
An ordinary soldier returning from war, Robin befriends and becomes the surrogate son of the aging Sir Loxley (Max von Sydow), who now lives with his widowed daughter-in-law - Marion (Cate Blanchett) - since his real son died in battle. The story returns to tradition after Loxley is murdered by the henchmen (Mark Strong) of the greedy Prince John (Oscar Isaac).
The Story Of Robin Hood And His Merrie Men (1952) - 6.7
A shared event in almost every version of the Robin Hood story is an archery competition in which Robin bests the Sheriff of Nottingham, usually with an arrow-splitting final shot. The event typically comes later in the story, but in Disney's The Story of Robin Hood and His Merrie Men (1952), it's an inciting incident.
In another unconventional turn, the story culminates in Robin attempting to help free King Richard (who typically returns on his own at the end of the story) from Austrian captivity.
Robin Hood: Men In Tights (1993) - 6.7
By far the funniest version of the legend, Robin Hood: Men in Tights (1993) is full of sight gags, slapstick humor, potty jokes, playful songs, anachronisms, and customary fourth wall breaks from comedy master Mel Brooks.
The story still follows the traditional Robin Hood arc but introduces funny new characters like Ahchoo (Dave Chappelle) the son of Asneeze (Isaac Hayes), and Robin's blind servant - Blinkin (Mark Blankfield) - in addition to memorable cast members Cary Elwes, Patrick Stewart, and Richard Lewis.
Robin Hood: Prince Of Thieves (1991) - 6.9
Two years before agreeing to star in Men in Tights, Cary Elwes turned down the same titular role in Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves (1991), the movie directly spoofed by Mel Brooks.
The story sticks closely to the traditional Robin Hood tale, save for the use of a new major character in Azeem (Morgan Freeman). The movie was the biggest box office success of any Robin Hood adaptation, though it received mixed reviews from critics, who took issue with the American accent spoken by Robin (Kevin Costner) throughout.
Douglas Fairbanks In Robin Hood (1922) - 7.2
A read-through of the trivia on Robin Hood (1922) is sure to fascinate cinephiles. With the highest budget ever utilized at the time of its release (about $1.5 million), its castle set was the largest ever built for a silent film.
The movie, which heavily banked on the marketability of star Douglas Fairbanks, was also the first to ever have a gala premiere, utilizing the brand new Egyptian Theater in Hollywood, which is now a historic landmark.
Robin Hood (1973) - 7.6
The only major animated cinematic version of Robin Hood (save the Monsieur Hood cameo in Shrek), Disney's second take on the legend came in a much more on-brand form with Robin Hood (1973).
Featuring a familiar fun story with innocent humor, humanoid animals, and charming voice-acting performances, the movie is full of catchy original songs, one of which received an Oscar nomination. It's one of many animated classics currently streaming on Disney+ and is set for a live-action/CGI remake.
The Adventures Of Robin Hood (1938) - 7.9
The technicolor masterpiece from Warner Bros. is the gold standard of Robin Hood movies and the role that legendary actor Errol Flynn will always be most closely associated with.
An unforgettably thrilling adventure from Casablanca (1943) director Michael Curtiz, The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938) still stands up to any major motion picture today, and features a terrific antagonist performance by Claude Rains (Casablanca, Notorious) on its way to earning three Academy Awards, the most of any Robin Hood movie.