Universal are betting on a 44 year old Russell Crowe and his GLADIATOR director Ridley Scott to make some serious green again in the Summer blockbuster season with a tale about a middle-aged ROBIN HOOD, which remarkably is being made as an origin story and not beginning with the legend already established, like you might think given Crowe's age and stature as an actor. ROBIN HOOD has been pushed up from November next year to the pressure cooker of the Summer blockbuster season, opening just 7 days after IRON MAN 2 on May 14th 2010, and just a week before SHREK GOES FOURTH. I'm not convinced audiences are willing to bank on Crowe being HOOD. Not since CINDERELLA MAN has Crowe looked anything like a summer box office leading man and if he is still in the same shape that he shot STATE OF PLAY in, he's gotta him that gym, and fast. But it's not just that. It's the whole image of him with a bow and arrow and wearing the green, playing a good samaritan. Fighting the rich to give to the poor. Can we really buy that from him these days? His time to have played HOOD passed five years ago, if he wanted to get back into the hero routine he should be pitching another go as Captain Jack Aubrey for a MASTER AND COMMANDER 2. But alas, it's Crowe we are left with and someone north of 45 you have to expect will play The Sheriff. All would be forgiven if it's Alan Rickman again.