Sean Bean to Play the Sheriff of Nottingham in ‘Robin Hood’ TV Adaptation on MGM+

The classic English folklore tale of Robin Hood is getting another live-action retelling, and the new TV series has landed some serious talent to play the iconic villain, the Sheriff of Nottingham. The new adaptation from MGM+ was announced last September, with SEAL Team‘s John Glenn acting as showrunner. Robin Hood is one of the most popular classic English folk legends, first being written about as far back as 1377. Adaptations of Robin Hood’s mission to steal from the rich and give to the poor have ranged from the dark and dramatic (2010’s Robin Hood) to the absurd and whimsical (Robin Hood: Men in Tights). The latest adaptation will take the character back to his Nottingham roots, with one of the most iconic northern English actors now attached to the show… Lord of the Rings and Game of Thrones legend, Sean Bean.

Per Deadline, Sean Bean has signed on to MGM+’s Robin Hood series as the Sheriff of Nottingham, alongside Jack Patten as the titular hero. Countless famous actors have played the Sheriff in past adaptations, including Ben Mendelsohn, Matthew Macfadyen, Robert Shaw, and Pat Buttram. Although, the most famous example is easily Alan Rickman’s iconic performance in the otherwise critically panned Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves — which is one of Rickman’s most beloved roles, alongside Professor Snape in the Harry Potter franchise.

According to the report, Sean Bean’s Sheriff of Nottingham is “envisioned as a statesman, a strategist, and a builder of Nottingham itself.” The description continues, “A loving father, a politician, and cousin to King Henry II, he navigates the dangerous tides of power.” This lines up with the previous description of MGM+’s new take on Robin Hood. The official synopsis reads:

“Following the Norman invasion of England, Rob – a Saxon forester’s son – and Marian, the daughter of a Norman lord – fall in love and work together to fight for justice and freedom. As Rob rises as the leader of a band of rebel outlaws, Marian infiltrates the power at court, as both work together to thwart royal corruption and bring peace to the land.”

Can MGM+’s ‘Rob Hood’ Series Finally Get the Story Right?

Over the past century — the first noted adaptation of Robin Hood came in 1908 — there have been countless adaptations of the classic tale, but not all of them have been great. 1938’s The Adventures of Robin Hood is commonly regarded as the best, with 1922’s Robin Hood, Disney’s 1973 animated Robin Hood, and 1976’s Robin and Marian also being well received by fans.

However, there have been some notable stinkers. The most recent movie adaptation, 2018’s Robin Hood, starring Taron Egerton and directed by Otto Bathurst, was slated by critics, holding a 14% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. MGM+’s new series shows promise. The show will run for 10 episodes, giving showrunner John Glenn ample screen time to truly dig into the characters, while giving fans a classic good versus evil story of Robin Hood versus the Sheriff of Nottingham. However, the apparent changes and alterations to the story in the above description already have some fans concerned.