Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves – 35th Anniversary

By Reggie's Take on June 14, 2026 • ( 0 )

Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves, released to theaters on June 14, 1991, is based on the 12th-century English folk tale of Robin Hood and celebrates its 35th anniversary.

Robin of Locksley (Kevin Costner) is imprisoned in Jerusalem with his friend Peter (Liam Halligan) after fighting in the Crusades with King Richard. During their escape, Robin saves Aziz (Morgan Freeman), but Peter is fatally wounded and asks Robin to protect his sister, Marian (Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio).

Feeling indebted to Robin, Aziz follows him to England, where the corrupt Sheriff of Nottingham (Alan Rickman) rules harshly and plots to seize the throne. After learning that the Sheriff’s men murdered his father for remaining loyal to King Richard, Robin joins forces with the Merry Men in Sherwood Forest to resist the Sheriff’s tyranny and defend the oppressed people.

John Cleese was initially considered for the role of King Richard, but Sean Connery—who had played Robin Hood in Robin and Marian (1976)—was ultimately chosen at Costner and Densham’s urging. Densham worried that a cameo by a well-known comedian would undercut the drama, later recalling that he asked for Connery instead because the role required only one day of work and could not be credited without spoiling the surprise.

Connery reduced his requested $1 million fee to a $250,000 donation to a hospital in his native Scotland. Robin Wright, originally set to play Maid Marian, left the production after learning she was pregnant, and Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio, was quickly cast in her place.

Although critics gave it mixed reviews, the film was a box office hit, earning $390.5 million worldwide and becoming the second highest-grossing movie of 1991, behind only Terminator 2: Judgment Day.

Starring Kevin Costner as Robin Hood, Morgan Freeman as Azeem, Christian Slater as Will Scarlett, Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio as Marian and Alan Rickman as the Sheriff of Nottingham.