For decades, fans of Robin Hood: Men in Tights have wondered what really happened behind the scenes of Mel Brooks’ zany 1993 comedy. Rumors swirled: Was there tension on set? Creative clashes? Studio drama? Hollywood insiders dropped hints, fan forums speculated, but no one ever gave a straight answer.

Now, after years of silence, Mel Brooks himself has finally set the record straight. What he revealed isn’t a scandal, a feud, or a lost scene buried in a studio vault. Instead, it’s a story that’s as surprising—and as delightfully offbeat—as the film itself.

The Anti-Bombshell: A Set Full of Laughter

In a series of recent interviews and retrospectives, Brooks “confirmed” what few could have guessed: The set of Robin Hood: Men in Tights was exactly what it looked like on screen—absurd, collaborative, and joyfully chaotic in all the best ways. Forget the Hollywood horror stories of on-set meltdowns and creative implosions. According to Brooks, the making of Men in Tights was refreshingly scandal-free.

“The real surprise?” Brooks says. “We didn’t have to suffer to be funny. We just had to have fun.” The set, he described, was a playground for comic actors, young upstarts, and a director who encouraged as much laughter behind the camera as in front of it.

Why Robin Hood, Why Now?

By the early 1990s, Mel Brooks was already a master of the parody genre. He’d skewered Westerns with Blazing Saddles, classic horror with Young Frankenstein, and even sci-fi with Spaceballs. But Robin Hood? Brooks had tried before. In 1975, he co-created the short-lived sitcom When Things Were Rotten, a slapstick take on the Merry Men that critics panned and audiences ignored.

But Brooks never let go of the legend. When Kevin Costner’s Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves hit theaters in 1991, its melodramatic sincerity and Costner’s unmistakably American accent made it ripe for parody. “He’s supposed to be Robin of Locksley and he sounds like he’s from Anaheim,” Brooks joked. The opportunity was irresistible.

Armed with the success of Spaceballs and History of the World, Part I, Brooks had more clout, more resources, and access to a dream cast. This time, he was determined to get it right.

Casting Comedy Gold

Brooks’ genius has always been in casting—not just finding funny actors, but the right kind of funny. For Men in Tights, he chose Cary Elwes as Robin Hood, fresh off his iconic turn as Westley in The Princess Bride. Elwes reportedly thought Brooks’ initial casting call was a prank—he hung up twice before realizing it was really Mel on the line.

For Elwes, the draw was the chance to work with a comedy legend. “I grew up on Mel Brooks movies,” he later said. “To get to be in one was surreal.” Elwes brought not only charm and comedic timing but also genuine sword-fighting chops, helping choreograph scenes and support less-experienced cast members.

Perhaps the most inspired casting was a then-unknown 19-year-old Dave Chappelle as Ahchoo, Robin’s loyal sidekick. Chappelle’s natural timing and charisma lit up the screen, and many of his now-famous lines—including “Achoo? Bless you!”—were improvised on the spot. “I had to fight Mel on that,” Elwes recalled. “But I knew Dave had something.”

Richard Lewis, who played Prince John, only agreed to the role if he’d never have to ride a horse. Brooks leaned into it, turning Lewis’s neurotic, modern-day diva into a highlight of the film. Tracey Ullman and Roger Rees, as Latrine and the Sheriff of Rottingham, brought a Shakespearean energy to their absurd roles, improvising some of the film’s weirdest and most beloved scenes.

A Set Like Summer Camp

According to Brooks and the cast, the atmosphere on set was more like summer camp than a Hollywood production. There were no major fights, no creative egos clashing. Brooks encouraged improvisation, and the actors ran with it—sometimes breaking down in laughter so often that scenes had to be reshot dozens of times.

The musical numbers, especially the titular “Men in Tights” routine, required weeks of rehearsal. “You can fake a sword swing,” one actor joked, “but you can’t fake rhythm.” Brooks, ever the perfectionist, insisted the routines be as tight as the tights themselves.

Iconic Scenes, Born of Spontaneity

Many of the film’s most memorable moments were born out of improvisation and creative spontaneity. The now-legendary line, “Unlike some other Robin Hoods, I can speak with an English accent,” was reportedly added during a table read after someone (possibly Elwes) cracked the joke about Kevin Costner’s Prince of Thieves. Brooks loved it—and made sure it stayed in the final cut.

Physical gags, like Blinkin walking straight into a tree, were rehearsed over and over—not because they were hard to time, but because the cast couldn’t stop laughing. Even the infamous “Patriot arrow” scene, with its mix of practical effects and early CGI, was staged with the same seriousness as a big-budget action film.

Mel Brooks: Comedy Maestro

Despite the chaos, Brooks ran a tight ship. He directed with the precision of a choreographer, adjusting punchlines by milliseconds and stepping into scenes himself to demonstrate the energy he wanted. “He had the energy of a stand-up comic and the vision of a general,” said producer Rudy De Luca. “You never forgot who was in charge, but you also never stopped laughing.”

Brooks believed in guided improvisation—welcoming improv, but only when it served the scene. He gave actors room to play, but always maintained control over the rhythm and tone.

A Cult Classic Is Born

When Robin Hood: Men in Tights premiered in July 1993, critics were lukewarm and box office numbers were modest. But the film found new life on VHS, cable reruns, and DVD, becoming endlessly quotable among fans. Lines like “We’re men… we’re men in tights!” and “Call the locksmith!” became inside jokes for a generation.

By the early 2000s, the film had achieved cult classic status. It’s a movie that grows with its audience, beloved for its quotable lines, joyful weirdness, and infectious energy.

The Real Story: Joy, Not Scandal

So what really happened on the set of Men in Tights? No scandals, no meltdowns—just a director at the height of his creative powers, a cast willing to get weird, and a film that had no business being as charming as it is.

“It wasn’t perfect,” Brooks said. “But it was mine. And we had a hell of a time making it.”

That’s the real story. Sometimes, the biggest twist is that there’s no twist at all—just a group of artists having the time of their lives, and creating a comedy that refuses to die.