Lisa Kudrow has been officially announced as the lead for Time Bandits, a new limited series coming soon to Apple TV by Taika Waititi. Known for his work in the MCU and on Our Flag Means Death, the series will also star Kal-El Tuck, Kiera Thompson, and Tahdg Murphy, among others.
Taika Waititi’s Time Bandits borrows inspiration from a 1981 film of the same name directed by Terry Gilliam (Monty Python and the Holy Grail). The film featured an eleven-year-old history nerd named Kevin (Craig Warnock) who finds six dwarves emerging from his closet one night. The dwarves – Randall (David Rappaport), Fidgit (Kenny Baker), Strutter (Malcom Dixon), Og (Mike Edmonds), Wally (Jack Purvis), and Vermin (Tiny Ross) – explain that they were employees of the Supreme Being (Ralph Richardson) entrusted with a map of time, but they had stolen the map and were using it to travel through time and space and collect treasures as they went.
Together, the dwarves and Kevin embark on a journey through time, encountering historical figures like Napoleon Bonapatre, Robin Hood, and the ancient Greek king Agamemnon (Sean Connery), all the while being hunted by the Supreme Being.
Lisa Kudrow Join ‘Time Bandits’ Adaptation
The Apple TV series adaptation of Time Bandits has been described by the Hollywood Reporter as “a comedic journey through time and space with a ragtag group of thieves and their newest recruit: an eleven-year-old history nerd.” Lisa Kudrow joins Time Bandits as Penelope; Kal-El Tuck (Unseeing Evil) will star as Kevin, alongside Roger Jean Nsengiyumva (Tomb Raider) as Widgit, Tahdg Murphy (Brassic) as Alto, Rune Temte (Captain Marvel) as Bittelig, Kiera Thompson (Martyrs Lane) as Saffron, and Rachel House (Moana) as Fianna.
The ties between the upcoming Apple TV series and the original film are unknown, but with the cast list now released, the project has reportedly been greenlit and is ready for production at Apple TV, where it’s been in development since 2019, according to Deadline. Taika Waititi, known for his work on Thor: Ragnarok (2017), Thor: Love and Thunder (2022), and the HBO Max romantic comedy series Our Flag Means Death (2022), has been chosen to serve as director and co-writer for the series, likely bringing his unique brand of cinematic humor along with him and leaving his fans in anticipation for the new project.
Time Bandits will be co-produced by Paramount Television Studios (Minority Report), Anonymous Content’s AC Studios (The Independent), and MRC Television (The Terminal List). Taika Waititi serves as an executive producer alongside Jemaine Clement, Iain Morris, and Garrett Basch, along with Handmade Films, the company behind Gilliam’s original film.
Time Bandits, directed by Taika Waititi and starring Lisa Kudrow, will be available through Apple TV, though a release date has yet to be announced.
