King Of The Forest

Michael Fleming of Variety has news that made me very happy:

Ridley Scott is set to direct Russell Crowe in the Universal Pictures drama "Nottingham," which Brian Grazer is producing for Imagine Entertainment.

Universal earlier bought the spec script by Ethan Reiff and Cyrus Voris , creators of the Showtime series "Sleeper Cell" in an auction for seven figures. Crowe was attached at that time (Daily Variety, Feb. 1)

Crowe stars as the Sheriff of Nottingham in a revisionist take on the Robin Hood tale, with Nottingham as a noble and brave lawman who labors for a corrupt king and engages in a love triangle with Maid Marion and Robin Hood.

Production will start next year.

Scott will direct the film after he helms Leonardo DiCaprio this fall in a CIA thriller for Warner Bros., based on the David Ignatius. novel "Body of Lies"...

Scott has directed Crowe in "Gladiator,"A Good Year" and the upcoming "American Gangster ".

'Good Year''s failure to generate much buzz, notwithstanding, Scott and Crowe make quite the director/actor combo. Gladiator is one of my all-time favorite films. I'm therefore, ecstatic that Scott will be calling the shots on this film.