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Why was Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves such a huge success unlike the 2010 or 2018 versions?

posted 3 years ago by TMC-4 (20149)
12 replies | jump to latest

It seems like Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves is the "definitive" film take on Robin Hood after the Errol Flynn version and the Disney version with the anamorphic animals. Did the Bryan Addams song (and I'm being absolutely serious when I ask this) have a lot to do with why Prince of Thieves was so popular? Also, was it because it came out right when Kevin Costner was at the absolute peak of his career (i.e. he had previously done The Untouchables, No Way Out, Bull Durham, Field of Dreams, and Dances with Wolves, which earned him a couple of Oscars), and thus was naturally, a major draw?

This is what TV Tropes had to say:

https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/YMMV/RobinHoodPrinceOfThieves

Vindicated by History: Although the film had both its fans and critics at the time of its release, the later failures of Robin Hood (2010) and Robin Hood (2018) have retroactively raised the general opinion of this adaptation as one that finds the sweet spot between 2010's Darker and Edgier take on the material and the often-ludicrous Anachronism Stew of the 2018 offering.

[–] AmeriGirl26 (14413) 3 years ago

It didn't help that some of the later films inserted technology and modern-day politics into the mix that had no place in the story. That, and the scripts were bad, and the actors couldn't act.

While this film had one flaw (Costner's lack of British accent) it was and still is a fun and decent film.

[–] AmeriGirl26 (14413) 3 years ago

[deleted]

[–] blue1981 (7758) 3 years ago

This was Kevin Costner’s first movie after Dances with Wolves and that played a factor in its success.

[–] Bootselectric (165) 3 years ago

It was charming, dark, and amusing at times while not taking itself to seriously.

Oh, and Alan Rickman!

[–] sslssg (34223) 3 years ago

I think that the answer is simply they weren't fun like the 1991 version.

I also think the Michael Kamen's soundtrack, including Everything I Do did help with the popularity of the movie. Alan Rickman made such a great Sherriff and it was not long after Die Hard.

[–] Drooch (5333) 2 years ago

Prince Of Thieves is pure popcorn family fun. Ridley’s version was serious and dull.

[–] ATG6 (3000) 2 years ago

Kevin Costner's star power? Plus it was less grim and more Americanized.
Plus Morgan Freeman. And the theme song.

[–] rateater (10031) 2 years ago

i notced since batman, and some may argue since untouchables film, there was a sort of wave of more "seriously taken" character films/remakes. dracula would come out the next year. maybe people were on that bandwagon?