Hugh Jackman’s New R-Rated Thriller Sets Rotten Tomatoes Audience Record In The 21st Century

Hugh Jackman continues to be a Rotten Tomatoes legend with his new dark thriller.

The Oscar-nominated actor is one of the rare actors who can do anything from acting, singing, and dancing. With over three decades of experience, the X-Men hero Wolverine is his most renowned role, which he portrayed for nearly 24 years. Despite his long Marvel stint, the Australian actor has pursued numerous projects, from the horror Van Helsing to his recent biopic movie Song Sung Blue. Now, Jackman joins a long list of A-list actors to tackle an iconic legend in the new film, The Death of Robin Hood.

Aidan Monaghan/A24

Jackman joins Russell Crowe, Kevin Costner, and Taron Egerton as one of many actors to portray the famous outlaw and archer Robin Hood. While many past iterations are either action-packed or have elements of humor, the A24 thriller takes on a grittier approach. In fact, it’s one of the rare Robin Hood movie adaptations to be rated R. However, that darker choice has worked in its favor based on the critical and audience reception.

The Death of Robin Hood reviews are generally positive, earning a solid 69% score on Rotten Tomatoes. That makes it one of the highest-rated movie adaptations since the 1990s, since most Robin Hood movies have been poorly received by critics, including the infamous 2018 version, which earned an abysmal 15%. Now, moviegoers have responded similarly, with the audience score landing at 67% on the site.

Although it’s far from being Jackman’s highest-rated project, it’s certainly faring better than most Robin Hood adaptations. In terms of movies, the A24 effort has the best audience score in 16 years since Crowe and Ridley Scott’s 2010 Robin Hood, which earned 58%. However, it’s not enough to overtake Cary Elwes’ 1993 attempt, Robin Hood: Men in Tights, which earned an 81%.

Nevertheless, The Death of Robin Hood became the first and only movie adaptation to have fresh critical and audience scores in the 21st century. It’s also the second overall Robin Hood project to earn those achievements, joining MGM+’s TV series, which earned 77% and 80%, respectively.

Most iterations celebrate the outlaw for redistributing wealth to the poor. However, the A24 iteration, based on the 17th-century ballad Robin Hood’s Death, unravels the iconic hero, who is haunted by his past actions.

Critics and audiences alike praised Jackman’s broody performance as the legend, which was heavily compared to his weary Wolverine in Logan. Michael Sarnoski’s direction and revisionist approach are also highlighted by showcasing a character study rather than being action-packed. Other positive notes include the strong supporting cast of Jodie Comer and Bill Skarsgård and the stunning visuals that complement the movie’s grim tone.

Robin Hood is one of the most popular stories to adapt, but there are no other movie iterations in the works. Disney+ initially had planned a remake of the 1973 classic, but director Carlos López Estrada confirmed “it’s dead sadly” in March 2026. Meanwhile, MGM+ renewed the Robin Hood show for season 2, but there are no release details at this time.

The Death of Robin Hood is now playing in theaters.

Release Date

June 19, 2026

Runtime

123 Minutes

Director

Michael Sarnoski

Writers

Michael Sarnoski

Producers

Aaron Ryder, Andrew Swett, Alexander Black