After playing Hollywood's live-action Wolverine for 24 years, Hugh Jackman has become a reliable box-office draw. His most recent run as hot-headed mutant James "Logan" Howlett — 2024's Deadpool & Wolverine — grossed more than $1.3 billion worldwide. While Jackman is heavily identified with his longtime X-Men role, he's had hits beyond superhero cinema: The Prestige, The Greatest Showman, and this year's The Sheep Detectives.
Jackman is also capable of big bombs, including this summer's R-rated action-thriller that gave the actor another chance to tap into his Old Man Logan side: The Death of Robin Hood. While the A24 release was an unqualified box office disaster, Jackman's latest has quickly become a hit on streaming. The Death of Robin Hood is now officially streaming on HBO Max as of Oct. 16.
After a few days on the streaming service, the gritty reimagining of Robin Hood has quickly locked down the No. 1 spot on the movie streaming charts in the U.S. Written and directed by Michael Sarnoski (Pig, A Quiet Place: Day One), The Death of Robin Hood takes the iconic English hero in a very different direction. Sarnoski's take on the folk hero isn't the gallant, lighthearted outlaw we've typically seen on the big screen in films like 1991's Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves and 2010's Robin Hood, which starred Kevin Costner and Russell Crowe, respectively, in the titular role.
Jackman's Robin Hood is a gritty, violent, and sometimes cynical take on the character. The film's poster even proclaims Robin Hood is "no hero." Here's A24's official synopsis of The Death of Robin Hood: Grappling with his past after a life of crime and murder, Robin Hood finds himself gravely injured after a battle he thought would be his last. In the hands of a mysterious woman, he is offered a chance at salvation.
The Death of Robin Hood features a supporting cast that includes Jodie Comer, Bill Skarsgård, Noah Jupe, and Murray Bartlett. While The Death of Robin Hood had the hallmarks of a hit, thanks to Jackman and A24's involvement, the 123-minute action-thriller whiffed at the box office when it premiered in June. The movie earned just shy of $9.9 million against a reported $20 million budget during its theatrical run.
Critics and audiences were divided on the film, which carries a 69% Rotten Tomatoes score and a much lower audience score. Despite mixed reception, audiences are showing up for The Death of Robin Hood on HBO Max. Hopefully, writer-director Michael Sarnoski's next film for A24 will land better.
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