Time Bandits was a memorable fantasy film from 1981 directed by Monty Python's Terry Gilliam which had a number of world famous actors including John Cleese, Michael Palin, Sean Connery, Shelley Duvall and Ian Holm.
Now Time Bandits has been turned into a fantasy series for television starring Friends legend Lisa Kudrow as Penelope, the leader of a band of thieves who travel through space and time. This telly reboot has been created by Taika Waititi and Jemaine Clement and also stars Tadhg Murphy, Roger Jean Nsengiyumva and Kiera Thompson.
Youngster Kal-El Tuck plays 11-year-old history geek Kevin (same name as the boy in the movie), who finds himself travelling through the centuries with the ragtag gang.
“It was just nothing I’d really ever seen before,” Waititi remembers of watching the original movie. “I remember being freaked out by a lot of it. A lot of the kids’ films back then were not as inventive and imaginative. I just love Lisa Kudrow and thought it’d be awesome to see her leading a band of idiots through time.”
Here’s everything you need to know about the Apple TV Plus series Time Bandits…
Time Bandits release date
Time Bandits is a 10-part series launching worldwide on Apple TV Plus from Wednesday July 24, 2024, followed by two new episodes every Wednesday through to August 21 2024.
How to watch Time Bandits: stream the reboot TV show as well as the original
Is there a trailer?
Yes there's a trailer for the Time Bandits series on Apple TV Plus, which starts by showing young Kevin having a tough time at his school. Do watch this below, and also enjoy the trailer from the 1981 movie below too...
Time Bandits plot
This Time Bandits series follows an eccentric group of thieves who travel through space and time, exploring the fascinating worlds of the distant past and searching for treasure. 11-year-old history buff Kevin becomes their latest recruit but they soon find themselves having to save his parents, and the world.
Led by tough-talking Penelope, played by Friends star Lisa Kudrow, the bumbling thieves are on the run from their boss, the Supreme Being (Taika Waititi), after stealing his map that allows them to journey through time searching for treasure. But the Supreme Being’s enemy Pure Evil (Jemaine Clement) is also eager to find the chart and wreak destruction…
As Kevin joins the gang’s travels through different periods – Their epic quest sees them escape dinosaurs, experience the Ice Age, wreak havoc in the Medieval era, witness the creation of Stonehenge and see the Trojan Horse in action – and that’s just the tip of the iceberg! Can Kevin save the world? "A bond develops amongst the bandits and with Kevin," explains Lisa. "There’s jeopardy and heart."
Time Bandits cast — Lisa Kudrow as Penelope
Lisa Kudrow plays gang leader Penelope in Time Bandits. She’s best known for her iconic turn as Phoebe Buffay in the series Friends. She’s also been in The Comeback, The Girl on the Train, Web Therapy, Bad Neighbours, Scandal, The Opposite of Sex and Better Nate Than Ever.
Who else is starring in Time Bandits?
Time Bandits the series also stars Kal-El Tuck (Unseeing Evil), Tadhg Murphy (Conversations with Friends), Roger Jean Nsengiyumva (You Don’t Know Me), Rune Temte (Eddie the Eagle), Charlyne Yi (Knocked Up), Rachel House (Heartbreak High), Kiera Thompson (Martyrs Lane), James Dryden (Ready Player One), Felicity Ward (The Office Australia), Francesca Mills (Harlots) and Imaan Hadchiti (Thor: Love and Thunder) and features special guest appearances by creators Taika Waititi and Jemaine Clement.
All about the 1981 movie Time Bandits
The 1981 film Time Bandits was created by Monty Python’s Terry Gilliam and focused on a young boy called Kevin (played by Craig Warnock), who got the opportunity to time-travel with a group of dwarves. They jumped from era to era, looking for treasure to steal. The movie starred Sean Connery, John Cleese, Michael Palin, David Warner, Shelley Duvall, Ian Holm and Katherine Helmond.
