The director of the new Robin Hood blockbuster has pulled the plug on the film shoot after realising the green Sherwood Forest would turn brown before his crew had finished work.

Ridley Scott cancelled the production, which was due to begin in the UK in two weeks time, when it occurred to him that autumn would destroy his leafy backdrop.

A statement from Universal - the studio backing the project for an estimated £50 million - revealed that the stars of Nottingham, Russell Crowe and Sienna Miller, had been informed of the decision.

"The film's forest locations need to be green," it added.

The wrong shade of leaves is not the only problem.

Universal said the anticipated Screen Actors Guild strike could throw a cloud over the production.

The studio is also unhappy with the script which was originally by Ethan Reiff and Cyrus Voris but has been redrafted by Oscar-winning screenwriter Brian Helgeland.

The statement from Universal added that it "could have moved forward with one of these challenges, but the confluence of the three caused the studio to reconsider" .

Universal said it was still committed to the film, which will be a revisionary retelling of the Robin Hood story through the eyes of the Sheriff of Nottingham, played by Crowe.

Miller was due to play Maid Marian but scheduling clashes could now force her to drop out.

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