Russell Crowe in "Robin Hood."

Ridley Scott’s re-telling of the Robin Hood legend will officially open the Cannes Film Festival in May.

Starring Russell Crowe as the famous outlaw hero, the adventure film Robin Hood will play out of competition on May 12, the same day it will be released in theatres across France. Universal Studios, riding what studio executives hope will be a giddy high out of Cannes, then plans to open Robin Hood worldwide on May 14.

This high-profile choice continues the Cannes practice of finding a mainstream film, often from Hollywood, that has the chance to be a blockbuster.

Last year’s opener was Pete Docter’s Up. Cannes audiences instantly loved it and that enthusiasm helped launch the Disney/Pixar campaign for the popular animation. Up then proved to be successful artistically, commercially and also at the Oscars.

With Robin Hood, Cannes gets a mainstream entertainment that is populated with quality actors, many of them with Oscar nominations in their credits. In addition to Crowe in the title role, Robin Hood co-stars Cate Blanchett and two exceptionally talented veterans, Swedish legend Max von Sydow and American William Hurt. Newfoundlander Alan Doyle, lead singer of Great Big Sea, also has a role as the tongue-twisting character Allan A’Dayle.

The Robin Hood story has been dramatized many times before, most notably with Errol Flynn as the dashing hero who can flash a sword with panache and shoot an arrow with deadly accuracy, while robbing from the rich to give to the poor. Other famous Robin Hoods include Douglas Fairbanks, Sean Connery, Kevin Costner and Daffy Duck.

Scott’s film was written by Brian Helgeland of L.A. Confidential and Mystic River fame and will examine the roots of the legend of Sherwood Forest.

Playing out of competition means that Robin Hood will not be eligible for Cannes jury prizes, but that is the normal procedure with opening-night galas at the festival. Mainstream filmmakers such as Scott usually prefer not to compete for Cannes prizes, knowing that they will probably lose since the prizes go to art-house fare.