Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Eve Hewson up for female lead in 'Robin Hood'

Los Angeles: "Doctor Who" star Gugu Mbatha-Raw and "The Knick" actress Eve Hewson are the contenders for the female lead role in "Robin Hood: Origins".

Dutch actress Gaite Jansen (Supernova) and Vampire Academy's Lucy Fry are also being considered to star opposite Taron Egerton, reported Deadline.

The film will be a "gritty" retelling of the legend that sees Robin (Egerton) arrive back from the Crusades and recruit his band of Merry Men after finding corruption across Sherwood Forest and Nottingham.

Peaky Blinders' Otto Bathurst is directing from a script by Joby Harold, the man who is also behind Guy Ritchie's "Knights of the Roundtable: King Arthur".

It will be produced by Harold, alongside Leonardo Di Caprio's company Appian Way and Tory Tunnell under the Safehouse Pictures name.