It's always risky to remake a beloved classic, especially one as quirky and iconic as Terry Gilliam's Time Bandits. Taika Waititi, known for his eccentric style and creative storytelling (Thor: Ragnarok, Jojo Rabbit), took on the challenge with Apple TV+'s version of Time Bandits, but the results have been less than stellar. Less than a month after its 10-episode run concluded on August 21, the show has already been canceled. While no official viewership data was released, the show's absence from Nielsen's top 10 streaming series charts paints a clear picture: audiences just weren't tuning in.
One of the most controversial decisions Waititi made was omitting the iconic dwarf characters from the original film. In Gilliam's 1981 version, protagonist Kevin's adventures with a group of dwarf time-travelers was a key element, adding both humor and charm. By choosing to replace these dwarfs with regularly sized actors, Waititi's version lost one of the film's signature dynamics, disappointing fans of the original. This choice, made presumably to avoid offense, has sparked a conversation around “dwarf erasure,” with critics pointing out that this could have been an opportunity for more inclusive casting in an industry already lacking such representation.
Despite this, Time Bandits still boasted a talented cast, including Lisa Kudrow, who was meant to help carry the series forward. Yet even with passable reviews, the show failed to make a cultural impact. And in the age of competitive streaming wars, Apple TV+ decided to cut its losses.
Waititi, however, won't be dwelling on the show's failure for long. With major projects like Klara and the Sun and a new Star Wars film in the pipeline, his slate remains packed.
In the end, Time Bandits is a reminder that not every remake can recapture the magic of its original, especially when key elements are altered. Whether it was Waititi's creative choices or simply poor timing, this experiment just didn't click with today's viewers.
