NOTTINGHAM is "indefinitely postponed"

By Matt Holmes / June 25, 2011

I got an e-mail mid-day yesterday from a guy whose 'other half' was now out of a job because Ridley Scott's next epic Nottingham had been shut down. Now I can't actually confirm if the guy who mailed me knew of it before The Hollywood Reporter but whoever was first, the result is the same... the movie has been "indefinitely postponed". Scott's revisionist take of the Robin Hood/Sheriff of Nottingham fable was due to begin production in 2-3 weeks but according to the trade - script problems, location logistics and current labor unrest led to the decision to hault the project. Universal are calling it "the cloud of the SGA strike". And the delay means the movie won't be shot until at least the Spring because ""the film€™s forest locations need to be green," and that won't be the case in Autumn/Winter.

So it's not Christian Bale's problems with the law then, which see's the much rumored choice for the notorious outlaw Robin Hood return to jail in September to hear whether he has been found guilty and what his punishment will be for his alleged abuse of his mother & sister. Whatever the truth, the studio are sticking to the story it's the three factors above...

"Universal could have moved forward with one of these challenges, but the confluence of the three caused the studio to reconsider and take the time for all conditions to be optimal."

The movie had the release date set of November 9th 2009, which will now probably turn into late 2010. Russell Crowe & Ridley Scott remain committed to the project but no word on William Hurt, Saorise Ronan and who had all signed up in the last few months. The role of Hood, said in some quarters to be played by Bale - has never been officially confirmed.