Robin Who? Nottingham Cast Expanding

Christian Bale: Man in Tights? 

Casting news about movies tends to come in bunches. First you hear one big name. Then a second. Then next thing you know there’s a whole flock of people running to a set clutching contracts and scripts.

Last week we heard that Sienna Miller was joining Russell Crowe in Ridley Scott’s Nottingham, to play Maid Marion to Crowe’s not such a bad guy Sheriff of Nottingham. Now comes word that a slew of big names are heading for Sherwood Forest for the new take on the Robin Hood story. ComingSoon, via MailOnline (that’s as in London’s Daily Mail newspaper), reports that Vanessa Redgrave, William Hurt, Saiorse Ronan, and most intriguingly, Christian Bale are in talks to join the cast. Bale would be up for the role of Robin Hood.

Not so fast, Mr. Dark Knight/John Connor and whoever else you’ve already been cast as! AICN and Latino Review are saying there’s no truth to the rumor. In fact, Latino Review’s El Mayimbe had this to add to the rumor mill:

“…Russell Crowe wants Sam Riley who played Joy Division lead singer Ian Curtis in Control to play opposite him as Robin Hood.  It’s not official yet but they will most likely get Sam Riley for the role because Crowe loved his performance in Control.”

Hmm…the difference between Bale and Riley is huge and whoever is the one (if either) to land the role will say a lot about the tone of the film. Bale, who’s already appeared with Bale in 3:10 to Yuma, to nice effect, is a peer of Crowe’s. They both seem like they’re cut from the same cloth. Riley certainly made quite an impression in Control, but he does still come off as a boy in comparison to Crowe. If Riley played Robin Hood, the character would seem like an upstart youngster trying to crash the Sheriff’s turf; if Bale had the role, Robin Hood and the Sheriff would be two equals who took different roads and are now making a last stand. I like what I’ve seen of Riley, and don’t think he’d be a bad choice, but I’d rather see the veteran heft Bale would bring to the part.

Of course, no one will ever take the place of Errol Flynn as Robin Hood. If you haven’t seen the glorious 1938 Adventures of Robin Hood, please do. Flynn just looks like he’s having the best time ever in this movie.