Thor: Love and Thunder director Taika Waititi is bringing another fantasy realm to life. The Oscar winner is adapting Terry Gilliam’s 1981 cult classic Time Bandits into a series for Apple TV+. The original Time Bandits centered on Kevin (Craig Warnock), a kid who discovers that his wardrobe is a time-traveling portal. Kevin and a group of six dwarves embark on a cross-history adventure sees them encountering legendary figures like Napoleon (Ian Holm) and Robin Hood (John Cleese). The film also starred Sean Connery, Shelley Duvall, Michael Palin, and Jim Broadbent.
The series is described as “a comedic journey through time and space with a ragtag group of thieves and their newest recruit: an eleven-year-old history nerd (Kal-El Tuck).” The cast includes Lisa Kudrow, Charlyne Yi (Paper Heart), Tadhg Murphy (Black Sails), Roger Jean Nsengiyumva (Tomb Raider), Rune Temte (Captain Marvel), Kiera Thompson (Martyrs Lane), and Rachel House (Thor: Ragnarok).
Waititi co-wrote the series pilot, and will direct the first two episodes of the 10-episode series. The series has been in development since 2019, but has been delayed due to Waititi’s various commitments. It’s a strong cast and a fun premise, and it’s been a minute since we’ve had a family-friendly small screen fantasy franchise. As someone who grew up on films like Time Bandits, The Princess Bride, and The Neverending Story, I’m excited about the potential for this series. There’s no release date yet for the series, but we’ll keep you posted as we learn more.
(via Variety, featured image: AARON EPSTEIN/NETFLIX)
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