There have been a lot of Robin Hoods on the silver screen. Here is the definitive ranking of those Robins Hood, for posterity.
10) Taron Egerton
The less said, the better, really.
9) Russel Crowe
This movie is simultaneously GRIM and absurd. Is that all poor Russel’s fault, though? I mean, it’s not not his fault.
8) Richard Todd
Richard Todd was Disney’s first Robin Hood. Neither he nor his film are bad, just forgettable.
7) John Cleese
John Cleese plays Robin Hood in Time Bandits, and he’s both funny and disarmingly charming. If this performance was movie-length and had a little action in it he’d deserve a higher place. But it isn’t and it doesn’t so he doesn’t.
6) Kevin Costner
It’s easy to mock Kevin Costner’s lack of accent.
… oh were you expecting more there?
Ok let me add on the plus side that unlike the first two Robins, at least Costner is fun.
5) Sean Connery
What’s holding Sean Connery back from being higher on this list is that by the time he played Robin Hood his action days were mostly behind him. But he still has a mix of charm and danger that makes for a compelling, if somewhat de-fanged, Robin Hood
4) Cary Elwes
Robin Hood: Men in Tights is a parody of Prince of Thieves more than it is of anything else, and that means the movie hasn’t aged as well as it might. But Robin Hood himself is as dashing and irreverent an outlaw as you could hope to meet.
3) Douglas Fairbanks
Douglas Fairbanks put the swash in swashbuckling, whatever that means. If there is action to leap into, he will leap!
They hadn’t invented sound yet when Faribanks was Robining, but that just make his leaping more emphatic! LEAP!
2) Errol Flynn
Film’s first talking Robin Hood is had big shoes to fill to outdo Douglas Fairbanks, but Errol Flynn, film’s most athletic and most nimble Robin Hood set himself a high bar and then leapt over it!
1) Disney’s Robin Hood
How could it be anyone else? This foxy Robin Hood is charming, romantic, virtuous, and sly! Voiced by Brian Bedford, he is undoubtedly film’s greatest Robin Hood! Oo-de-lally!