STACK #263 September 2026

MOVIE FEATURE

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Inset: Hugh Jackman Director Michael Sarnoski with Hugh

GENRE: Adventure thriller RUN TIME: 2hr 1min

The tale of Robin Hood has been a staple of popular culture for decades, centuries even, but it’s never been brought to the screen like this. HERO OR VILLAIN? THE DEATH OF ROBIN HOOD

B ased on the 17th-century ballad Robin Hood’s Death , the story subverts what we know about the heroic outlaw, presenting him as a violent criminal nearing the end of his days. Directed by Michael Sarnoski ( Pig ) and starring Hugh Jackman, the film is a brutal

“He’s tormented by this perception of being a hero when deep inside he knows that he was not. As he approaches death, how can he make peace with the sins of his past and reckon with the wrongful myths he created?” “I think what we see is a beautiful, very humane portrait about the fullness of Robin’s life,” says Jackman. “The

learned about the script through the producer and asked to read it. “I felt deeply moved by his script, and loved the inventiveness of it,” says Jackman. “There was something about the depth of his understanding of character, and the way he allows the audience to make up their own minds about Robin Hood’s nature.” For Jackman, the role was also an opportunity to explore darker character themes he previously encountered playing Wolverine. “There were shadows of stuff I explored in Logan , but this was at another level, finding me at a time in my life when I was a bit older, and could better access my inner resources.” Glenn Cochrane

adaptation, not for the squeamish, that also explores the humanity of Robin, who finds himself in exile on an island commune. “Robin has managed

FUN FACT

darkness, the regret, the pain, the loss. There’s a cost to the violence, no matter which side you’re on.” Casting Jackman in the lead was also a subversion of its own, with the acclaimed actor seeking out Sarnoski for the role. A massive fan of Pig , Jackman

Although never previously adapted for film, the original ballad, Robin Hood’s Death , inspired the final act of the 1976 film Robin and Marian , starring Sean Connery and Audrey Hepburn.

to outlive his time as an outlaw and participated

in creating a legend around himself that

• Robin Hood's Death is out Sep 2

becomes this curse he wears around his neck,” explains Sarnoski.

IF YOU LIKE THIS, YOU’LL LOVE THESE:

Pig, William Tell, The Northman, The Count of Monte Cristo, Robin Hood, King Arthur

Inset: Bill Skarsgård and director Gus Van Sant Dacre Montgomery with Bill

GENRE: Drama RUN TIME: 1hr 44m

Celebrated indie renegade Gus Van Sant returns with Dead Man’s Wire , a fascinating true story starring Australia’s Dacre Montgomery alongside Bill Skarsgård and Colman Domingo. TETHERED IN DEAD MAN’S WIRE

S et in Indianapolis in 1977, the film recounts one of the strangest hostage situations in U.S. history, when disgruntled real estate developer Tony Kiritsis took mortgage executive Richard Hall hostage. “I’ve always been drawn to understanding what drives people, what compels someone to cross a line, to act out of desperation, conviction, or fear. Dead Man’s Wire is no exception,” explains the Good Will Hunting director . If Skarsgård’s Tony is consumed by rage, Montgomery’s Richard faces a more internal struggle as he is forced to wear a wire noose around his neck, never

knowing whether he will live or die. The real Richard was reportedly severely traumatised by the experience, so Van Sant knew he needed an actor capable of bringing nuance to such desolation.

opportunity to work with the legendary filmmaker. “I felt inspired to give the best performance possible because I really wanted to see Gus’s vision of this story come together.” Then there’s the remarkable Colman Domingo, who lends his smooth, silky voice to the role of a local radio host. “The story seems to mirror how people are feeling right now, how they feel they have no voice and are angry and want change, yet are powerless when going up against the system,” says Domingo. “Tony does something criminal and extreme, but he does see wrongs that need to be righted. That seemed really timely, and I felt I had something to say about where we are today.” Gill Pringle

FUN FACT

“I had seen this audition self-tape that Dacre did for Stranger Things , which has become kind of famous in the acting community,”

Before Gus Van Sant came on board, German filmmaker Werner Herzog was attached to direct, with Nicolas Cage set to star.

says the director. “His range is incredible in it and that had stuck in my mind, so I immediately thought of him for Richard. I trusted his abilities completely.”

• Dead Man’s Wire is out Sep 9

Montgomery couldn’t resist the

IF YOU LIKE THIS, YOU’LL LOVE THESE:

September 5, Captain Phillips, Panic Room, Juror #2, Inside Man

28 SEPTEMBER 2026

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