Hugh Jackman explains why he had a 'no phones rule' when filming new Robin Hood movie

Hugh Jackman has opened up about the one reason why he had a particular rule on the set of the new Robin Hood movie.

The new movie will revisit the legend around Robin Hood, and is ominously called The Death of Robin Hood, with Jackman taking on the title role.

This sees a marked shift in tone from previous depictions of the character, and is a long way from Robin Hood: Men in Tights, or dashing foxes.

Gone is the idea of the outlaw who steals from the rich and gives to the poor, and instead the movie explores a darker idea of Hood as a dangerous outlaw who is now haunted by his own deeds.

It was shot on location in Ireland, and the X-Men star opened up about the reason that prompted him to ditch his phone.

Sitting in an interview with his cast mate Killing Eve star Jodie Comer, Jackman, 57, told Discussing Film about filming on location.

Hugh Jackman and Jodie Comer (Manoli Figetakis/WireImage)

"Amazing, it was incredible," he said. "The Irish crew and just these places."

And it was so stunning that Jackman decided on a new rule, explaining that he had 'never done it before'.

“We had a little rule that we would not be on our phones once we walked out of the makeup trailer just because we were in these epic locations," he said.

"So, I handed my phone to someone else and if I had to check I had to grab it from someone."

He added: "It's a little aside, it was so spectacular, and Michael [Sarnoski] also chose to shoot it on film, he wanted to really capture something timeless."

Jackman stars in the new retelling of the Robin Hood story (John Nacion/Variety via Getty Images)

Many iterations of Robin Hood show him as a levelling outlaw redistributing wealth, or taking a more historical fiction approach with him as a supporter of King Richard I, that's Richard the Lionheart, fighting the machinations of Richard's brother John, who would go on to become King John.

The character has been portrayed in film and television countless times, including in the 1930s when he was portrayed by Errol Flynn, Kevin Costner in 1991, and Russell Crowe in 2010.

Explaining how he wanted the character to be presented in a less black and white manner, Jackman told PEOPLE: "I think as I get older, I'm more and more drawn to the gray areas of humanity rather than the easy fix or this is who that person is, this is who that is."