EXCLUSIVE! TNWU Speaks with Antoni Pearce, creator of Robyn Hood: A New Beginning
Robin Hood… One of the most popular characters in English folklore. The tale has been told many times through television, film and audio stories, as well as the ancient ballads! Now there is going to be a different slant on it and make it darker and grittier than it has been and it’s called “Robyn Hood: A New Beginning.”
Robyn (Jennifer Martin) hasn’t been seen in Loxley, a small village near Nottingham, for twenty years, leaving her home as a small girl when her mother took her away to France. But now she’s back, having returned from her life of travel and adventures to support her King and Country, fighting against enemies and developing her skills as a “Mistress of the Bow.” She only finds chaos and corruption within her village and city when she comes home. Now is the time to fight against the enemies of her people; now is the time to take arms against those who want to take from her childhood friends and to punish them when they don’t comply with unjust laws; now is the time to start the rebellion!
The series will be using stylish concepts and elements from Assassins Creed, Braveheart, and Game of Thrones to make it exciting, interesting, and a strong telling of the folklore. Antoni Pearce and his team are psyched up to make this series the best they possibly can – and can’t wait to complete the funding for the pilot to actually get out there and start shooting …. arrows as well as film!
In addition to Jennifer Martin, the series is set to cast Phil Baker as Guy of Gisbourne, Rowena Diamond as Maid Marian, Tony Hamilton as Little John, Matt Norton as the sheriff, and Rory Wilton as Friar Tuck. As the series is still in the early stages of production, casting may change.
I recently had the chance to talk with creator Antoni Pearce (UK actor, writer, director and producer, known for Robyn Hood: New Beginnings (2016),Femme Fatale (2016) and DrunksLikeUs (2014) about his vision for the new series.
Every few years, the legend of Robin Hood makes a resurgence. What makes the time ripe right now for a new Robin Hood series?
I think with all that’s going on with equal rights, women are getting closer to a level playing ground. Still far to go, but still getting closer. I just want to put myself out there and support female roles in film and TV. There’s such a lot of talent that gets overlooked. What better way to do it than through a legendary tale?!
What will make this series stand out (aside from a female Robin, played by Jennifer Martin)?
It’s darker, much darker. It definitely won’t be family viewing that’s for sure. There will be brilliant storylines for all the characters. It’s not just about Robyn and the fight against the Sheriff’s tyranny.
What do you keep from past retellings, and what new elements do you bring to the story?
It’s the same time period, the theme of helping the poor stays the same. What’s new? Characters will be portrayed differently. There’s the introduction to Martial Arts and a sisterhood of Assassins called “The League of Arrows” to look out for. A mysterious bounty hunter called “The Raven” also.
How will Maid Marian and the Merry Men be handled? How will female Robin win over the hearts of her men and villagers?
Marian doesn’t get a lot of interaction with Robin, to begin with, there’s another difference. Marion is married to Sir Guy. Robin and Marian do meet eventually and their paths become… Interesting .
What was behind the decision to make Robin Hood a woman?
As I said before, to show off the talent women have in film and TV. I’ve cast strong females for all the female roles in the pilot and have plans for other strong female characters in the series.
What can Robin Hood fans expect from the pilot?
An epic beginning to a wonderful but dark adventure. There’s also a tribute to the late Alan Rickman towards the end. I hope people cry over it! They should do!
Where can fans view the pilot?
The plan is to pitch the pilot to networks and streaming services to fund a full series. The pilot will be available to view online and as a DVD from the perks on our campaign page.
How many episodes are planned?
Including the pilot, 7 stories I have in mind but would like to go 10.
How can fans show their support?
They can follow our Twitter feed @robinhoodseries and retweet everything. Donations to the pilot would also be much appreciated, via Indiegogo: https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/robin-hood-pilot-episode–3#/
You can also check out information on the series on Facebook.
The series page is currently being built, but it will be here at http://robynhood.co.uk/