Crowe Gets The Shaft In "Robin Hood"

Sneak Peek an advance Italian poster supporting director Ridley Scott's upcoming feature on the legend of medieval archer 'Robin Hood' that will open this year's Cannes Film Festival.

"Robin Hood" stars Oscar-winning actors Russell "Gladiator" Crowe and Cate "Elizabeth" Blanchett.

The new film reunites Crowe with Scott in their fifth collaboration together. Producers of "Robin Hood" are Brian "A Beautiful Mind" Grazer, Scott and Crowe.

The new movie chronicles the life of the expert archer, previously conerned only with his own self-preservation, starting with service in the army of 'King Richard' against the French.

After Richard’s death, 'Robin' travels to 'Nottingham', a town suffering from the corruption of a despotic sheriff and crippling taxation, where he falls for spirited widow 'Lady Marion' (Blanchett), "...a woman skeptical of the identity and motivations of this crusader from the forest..."

Hoping to earn the hand of Marion and salvage the village, Robin assembles a gang whose lethal mercenary skills are matched only by their appetite for life, as they prey on the upper class to correct injustices under the sheriff.

With their country weakened from decades of war, the ineffective rule of the new king and insurgencies from within, "...Robin and his men heed a call to greater adventure, protecting their country from slipping into bloody civil war and to return glory to England once more."

Joining Crowe and Blanchett are actors Mark Strong as royal henchman 'Sir Godfrey', Oscar Isaac as 'King John' and Léa Seydoux as French 'Princess Isabella'.

Scott directed "Robin Hood" from a screenplay by Ethan Reiff, Cyrus Voris and Oscar winner Brian Helgeland.

DP for "Robin Hood" was John Mathieson, with production designer Arthur Max, editor Pietro Scalia and costume designer, Janty Yates. Executive producer is Charles Schlissel.

"He's got armor. He's very medieval," said Grazer about Crowe's look as 'Robin'. He's trying to create equality in a world where there are a lot of injustices..a crusader for the people, trying to reclaim some of the ill-gotten gains of the wealthy."

Click the images to enlarge and Sneak Peek "Robin Hood"...