Disappointing news for fans of Apple TV+'s small-screen take on Time Bandits here, as the streamer has decided not to move forward with a second season.
Deadline broke the news, which comes almost a month after the 10-episode first season of the family-friendly sci-fi comedy series ended its run.
Despite mostly positive reviews, (the series earned a pretty decent 78% on Rotten Tomatoes), Time Bandits did not attract enough viewers, and even though Apple TV+ does not share viewership data, the fact that the show was unable to crack Nielsen's Top 10 streaming rankings clearly factored into the streamer's decision not to renew it for a sophomore season.
We got word that Thor: Love and Thunder director Taika Waititi and frequent collaborator Jemaine Clement (Legion, What We do in the Shadows) were in the process of developing a reimagining of Terry Gilliam's '80s sci-fi classic back in 2022, with Friends alum Lisa Kudrow set to star.
Kudrow lead a cast that also included Kal-El Tuck (Unseeing Evil), Charlyne Yi (Knocked Up), Tadhg Murphy (Conversations With Friends), Roger Jean Nsengiyumva (You Don’t Know Me), Rune Temte (Eddie the Eagle), Kiera Thompson (Martyrs Lane) and Rachel House (Heartbreak High).
The Thor: Love and Thunder director also made guest appearances as The Supreme Being, while Clement was a highlight as his nemesis, Pure Evil.
Waititi promised that the show would not simply be a rehash of the movie during a recent interview with Screen Rant.
"It was both a challenge, but also, I think, made it possibly more exciting in terms of adapting something that wasn't just a straight remake of the film, as another film. We were careful not to draw too much, too close, from the film, because then what's the point. You can just watch the original. So we wanted to make our own version and to add our own flavor to it and spin off of it. And then obviously, with it being a series, you get more time with the characters, to develop them, and to develop their journeys."
Waititi directed the first two instalments of the series, which were co-produced by Paramount Television Studios, Anonymous Content’s AC Studios and MRC Television.
Kudrow played the team's leader Penelope; with Tuck as Kevin; Yi as Judy; Murphy as Alto; Nsengiyumva as Widgit; Temte as Bittelig; Thompson as Saffron, and House as Fianna.
Did you watch the first season of Time Bandits? If so, are you surprised that it won't be back for a second season? Let us know in the comments section down below.