Time Bandits—Because who doesn’t want to steal history (fantasy Apple TV series trailer).
Just when you thought time travel couldn’t get any weirder, Taika Waititi and Jemaine Clement have decided to take the reins of Time Bandits—because who better to revisit Terry Gilliam’s 1981 classic than the minds behind What We Do in the Shadows and Flight of the Conchords? The result is a ten-episode series that’s equal parts nostalgia trip, history lesson, and absurd comedy, premiering on Apple TV+ in 2004. In case you missed the original (or were too busy being a responsible adult), Time Bandits follows a group of pint-sized thieves as they plunder their way through history, dragging along an unsuspecting kid who really should have chosen a safer hobby than being a history nerd. But hey, who needs a normal childhood when you can rub elbows with Napoleon, fight off medieval knights, and probably mess up the timeline beyond repair?
The cast is a delightful mashup of familiar faces and oddball characters. Lisa Kudrow leads the charge as Penelope, the sort of person who you imagine might have started out with good intentions but got bored somewhere around the Renaissance and decided to embrace the chaos. She’s joined by Kal-El Tuck as Kevin, the eleven-year-old history buff who quickly learns that the past isn’t all textbooks and tea parties—it’s more like dodging giant axes and getting scolded by Cleopatra.
And because this is a Waititi production, there’s no shortage of quirky, scene-stealing characters. Tadhg Murphy plays Alto, the leader of the time-hopping gang who’s probably regretting every life choice that led him to babysitting Kevin. Roger Jean Nsengiyumva’s Widgit and Rune Temte’s Bittelig round out the crew, bringing a mix of muscle, mayhem, and questionable decision-making skills. Not to be outdone, Charlyne Yi’s Judy and Rachel House’s Fianna offer their own unique brand of mischief, proving that even in the most ridiculous of circumstances, there’s always room for more comic relief.
But wait—there’s more! Taika Waititi himself steps in as the Supreme Being, which probably means we’re in for some deadpan cosmic humor and a few existential crises. Jemaine Clement, ever the multi-tasker, plays Pure Evil, because someone’s got to keep the time bandits on their toes—and who better than a guy who could pass for an indie rock frontman in one scene and a malevolent deity in the next?
The show’s episodic structure promises to take viewers on a whirlwind tour of history, with stops in Prohibition-era New York, medieval Europe, and even the Ice Age. You know, the usual places you’d go when you’ve got a map of the universe and no adult supervision. Expect to see everything from Ross Noble as a Stonehenge builder (because why not?) to Mark Gatiss as the 4th Earl of Sandwich, probably giving us the historical breakdown of how the world’s most convenient meal was invented—while dodging time bandits, of course.
In short, Time Bandits is shaping up to be the perfect mix of whimsy, irreverence, and “what the heck did I just watch?” If you’re a fan of the original film, this series will likely hit all the right nostalgia buttons while introducing a new generation to the joys of anachronistic chaos. And if you’re new to the world of time-thieving dwarves and meddling children, well, buckle up—it’s going to be a bumpy ride through history.
