Vanessa Redgrave will star in Ridley Scott's Robin Hood movie as Queen Eleanor of Aquitane

In an official statement, Universal said that Vanessa Redgrave, Oscar Issac, and Lea Seydoux have joined the cast. Vanessa will play the role of Queen Eleanor of Aquitaine, mother of King John, Oscar Issacs will be King John, and Lea Sedoux will play French princess Isabella.

Lea Seydoux will play Princess Isabella in Ridley Scott's upcoming Robin Hood movie

Then titled Nottingham, the Robin Hood movie was first announced in June 2008. The movie, written by Ethan Reiff and Cyrus Voris, was said to be a spin-off of the original story, told from the point of view of the Sherrif of Nottingham.

Russell Crowe was to play the Sheriff of Nottingham, Christian Bale was in talks to play Robin Hood, and Sienna Miller was to play Maid Marian.

The Robin Hood movie will now be a conventional retelling of the story. The script has now been rewritten by Ethan Reiff, Cyrus Voris, and Brian Helgeland (co-writer of LA Confidential).

The full cast of the movie now is:

1) Robin Hood: Russell Crowe
2) Maid Marian: Kate Blanchett
3) Queen Eleanor of Aquitane: Vanessa Redgrave
4) King John: Oscar Issac
5) Little John: Kevin Durand
6) Sir Godfrey: Mark Strong
7) Princess Isabella: Lea Seydoux
Will Scarlet: Scot Grimes
9) Allan Adayle: Alan Doyle

Russell Crowe will now play Robin Hood in Ridley Scott's movie

Robin of Loxley, a brilliant archer, sympathizer of the poor, and supporter of King Richard the Lionheart, is driven out by the malevolent King John, brother of Richard. When Richard dies, Robin moves to the village of Nottingham that is laboring under the burden of high taxation and a tyrannical sheriff.

Robin falls in love with Lady Marian, who does not quite warm up to his outlaw ways. Robin sets up his own band of outlaws to take on the sherrif, save the town, and win the hand of the fair Maid Marian.

The Robin Hood movie will go into production in April 2009 on a budget of $130 million.

The legend of Robin Hood has fascinated filmmakers for a long time. The first Robin Hood movie, titled  The Adventures of Robin Hood, was made in 1938, starring Errol Flynn and Olivia de Havilland as Robin hood and Maid Marian.

In 1991, came the Kevin Costner -  Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio hit, Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves, starring Kevin Costner, followed by the satirical Robin Hood: Men in Tights, in 1993.

Russell Crowe has starred in many Ridley Scott movies like Gladiator, American Gangster, A Good Year, and the recent Body of Lies.

Cate Blanchett was last seen in the 2008 The Curious Case of Benjamin Button.

Word is that the latest Robin Hood on the block, Nottingham, is a different spin on the original. Told from the point of the Sheriff of Nottingham, the movie will take Robin Hood down a peg or two.

The movie brings together the merry Gladiator men: Russell Crowe as the Sheriff of Nottingham, Sir Ridley Scott as director, and Brian Helgeland as the writer.  Russell Crowe and Ridley Scott had earlier worked together on the Oscar-winning Gladiator (2000). Brian Helgeland had co-written LA Confidential, which also starred Russell Crowe.

Playing Maid Marian will be actress Sienna Miller, who is over the moon at the prospect of working with Crowe and Ridley. Working with Crowe and Ridley is “as good as it gets,” Miller has been quoted as saying.

The first Robin Hood movie The Adventures of Robin Hood was released in 1938 and starred Errol Flynn and Olivia de Havilland.

The mushy Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves, starring Kevin Costner and Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio, came next, in 1991.

Robin Hood: Men in Tights, a satirical comedy, was released in 1993.