Highlights
- Andrew Garfield’s The Uprising has sparked confusion over whether it is connected to Robin Hood
- US distributor Focus Features has added Robin Hood to the film’s title and changed its synopsis
- UK distributor Entertainment Film Distributors insists the film is about the 1381 Peasants’ Revolt, not the legendary outlaw
Andrew Garfield’s upcoming historical epic The Uprising has found itself at the centre of an unexpected controversy after its US distributor appeared to position the film as a Robin Hood story.
Paul Greengrass’ film was originally promoted simply as The Uprising, with the story understood to focus on the Peasants’ Revolt of 1381, one of the most significant uprisings in medieval England. However, Focus Features has now changed the US title to The Uprising: The Rise of Robin Hood and updated its promotional material.
Why Robin Hood suddenly appears in the film
The revised US synopsis describes the story as being set against “the true events of the Uprising that helped inspire the legend of Robin Hood”. It also says Garfield’s character forms “an army of the people” to fight against the king in the name of justice, according to The Guardian.
The change has left fans questioning exactly what role Robin Hood plays in the film, particularly because the traditional legend is usually linked to the reign of Richard the Lionheart.
Richard died in 1199, while the Peasants’ Revolt took place in 1381, creating a significant historical gap between the familiar Robin Hood timeline and the events depicted in Greengrass’ film.
Garfield is credited as playing The Ploughman rather than Robin Hood. His character may have a literary connection to the outlaw, with the name potentially referencing William Langland’s medieval poem Piers Plowman. Written around the time of the revolt, the poem contains the first unambiguous literary reference to Robin Hood.
UK distributor rejects the Robin Hood link
The film was originally announced in 2022 under the title The Hood. But its UK distributor, Entertainment Film Distributors, has made clear that British audiences should not expect a Robin Hood film.
Speaking to Metro, the distributor said: “The Uprising is a historical epic about the Peasants’ Revolt of 1381, not Robin Hood.”
It added that its UK marketing campaign does not reference Robin Hood and said promotional material from other countries featuring the outlaw was not issued or approved by the company.
The conflicting marketing has therefore created an unusual situation for Garfield’s film, with its US campaign seemingly embracing a famous legend while its UK distributor is distancing the movie from it.
The confusion comes just months after Hugh Jackman took on the role of Robin Hood in A24’s The Death of Robin Hood, giving audiences another major Hollywood interpretation of the legendary outlaw.
