Robin Hood/Gladiator/Spartacus

Triple-bill of heroic adventure movies. In 'Robin Hood' (2010), after the death of Richard the Lionheart (Danny Huston) in the Crusades, Sir Robin of Loxley (Russell Crowe) returns from war to his home in the north of England.

There, he comes up against the oppressive regime imposed by the tyrannical new Sheriff of Nottingham (Matthew Macfadyen).

Robin summons up a group of supporters and puts his formidable archery skills to use in an effort to free the people from corruption and political injustice.

Cate Blanchett co-stars as Maid Marian. In 'Gladiator' (2000), after the death of Emperor Marcus Aurelius (Richard Harris), Commodus (Joaquin Phoenix) betrays the Emperor's beloved General Maximus (Crowe) and takes the throne for himself.

Maximus is sold as a slave and then trained as a gladiator, keeping himself strong with thoughts of revenge.

Eventually he is taken to the Colosseum, where he prepares to fight in a contest presided over by the corrupt Commodus.

Will he suffer the ultimate humiliation and die for the entertainment of his enemy or will he survive the rigors of the arena and find a way of exacting his revenge?

Finally, in 'Spartacus' (1960), slave-gladiator Spartacus (Kirk Douglas) sets out to lead the slaves of the Roman Empire in a rebellion against their masters.

The ranks quickly swell as the slave army makes its way across Italy towards the coast.

But the despotic Roman senator Crassus (Laurence Olivier) determines to quell the revolt for his own selfish ends, and the stage is thus set for an epic battle.