Egerton says his Robin Hood has Peaky Blinders feel

From Digital Spy

Taron Egerton might be in the middle of what's shaping up to be a seriously successful film franchise with Kingsman as the team gear up for the release of Kingsman: The Golden Circle – but that doesn't mean he doesn't have other projects up his sleeve.

Next year he'll star in Robin Hood: Origins, an action-adventure movie based on the tales of the Nottingham hero directed by Peaky Blinders' Otto Bathurst, and the period piece is a project he feels strongly about.

"It's very, very different, but I think the reason I was very excited about it was because I think it's a great legend," he told Digital Spy. "It's a great classic hero's story. But I think it's been begging for a revitalisation for some time."

Filming for Robin Hood: Origins was actually pushed back to accommodate Egerton, whose commitments to Kingsman required him to film the sequel earlier this year – but Bathurst and his team agreed to delay their shooting schedule to ensure he was on board.

"What got me very excited about it was Otto Bathurst," Egerton said. "What he did with Peaky Blinders… a period drama but with this kind of modernity to it – there's something about that."

"A contemporary feel of something that's in the past,making it relevant for now."

He added: "There's something about the abuse of power and widening wealth gaps… There's something about Robin Hood that kind of works for now."

Egerton will star in the film alongside some big names such as Jamie Foxx, Jamie Dornan, Ben Mendelsohn,Peaky Blinders'Paul Anderson and comedian Tim Minchin.

"Although it's set at the time that the legend is originally meant to have happened, when Robin Hood would have lived, it doesn't feel like a period piece. It's not 'forsooth my lord'," Taron said.

"Jamie Foxx and I have a very banterous relationship in it, and it feels like an action movie, but that buddy relationship could be now."

Robin Hood: Origins will be released on September 21, 2018.