Russell Crowe led the stars at the Cannes Film Festival as they launched the new Robin Hood film.

Crowe, who plays the title role in Ridley Scott's new version of the historical story, sat alongside Cate Blanchett, who stars as Maid Marion, at a press conference.

The action-packed adaptation seeks to explain how the hero becomes an outlaw, robbing the rich and feeding the poor.

Crowe said: "We took a very arrogant perspective on this - I believe you have to if you're going to re-tell a story that's been told for a thousand years. We took the perspective that whatever you think you know about Robin Hood is a previously understandable mistake."

Cate Blanchett said: "To be honest, I mean Olivia de Havilland's a great beauty, but I always wanted to be Robin Hood rather than Maid Marion, but the part was always taken.

"Ridley wasn't at all interested in, you know, the maiden in distress," she added, explaining her take on Marion.

Director Ridley Scott was unable to attend the Cannes Festival, but there was already talk of a sequel to the Robin Hood film, with Crowe admitting there is plenty more material written by the two about the British legend.