Christian Slater has had a tremendous career in the film and television industry, and one of his most captivating performances was as the loveable rogue Will Scarlet in the classic 1993 film, “Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves.” This film was a smash-hit, grossing over $400 million at the box office and receiving four Academy Award nominations. However, what many fans may not know is that there was originally a planned sequel to the film that would have featured Slater as Will Scarlet.
The sequel – imaginatively entitled “Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves II” – was set to focus on the further adventures of Robin, Little John, and Maid Marian in the name of justice. The plot would have seen Will Scarlet return to lend his skills to Robin’s heroic mission – and this is where Slater’s “Willow” character comes into play. Willow was an amalgamation of several characters intended to be part of the sequel, including Will Scarlet and another foppish character, he was hired to play named Dangle – that never quite made it into the script.
Willow was described as a hapless sort of figure who was always getting himself into tricky situations – talking too-much and generally acting foolish. He would have been a sidekick to Robin and a loyal friend who could always be counted upon to help him out in a pinch. Despite having no real combat proficiency or nobility, Willow would have been a charming and endearingly comic figure in the sequel – much like Will Scarlett was in the first film.
Unfortunately, due to creative differences between the producers, the “Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves II” project never came to fruition – much to the dismay of fans of Christian Slater’s performance in the first film. However, Willow has gone on to become something of an iconic character in his own right, as fans still remember him with fondness. It’s a shame that we never got to see Christian Slater take on the role of Willow on the big screen, but it’s also a testament to Slater’s talent that the character has endured so many years after the film’s original release.
