Taika Waititi’s ‘Time Bandits’ Canceled after Just 1 Season
- Time Bandits debuted its first season in July 2024 and narrated a plot following an unlikely alliance between a band of thieves and an 11-year-old.
- Based on a 1981 Terry Gilliam film of the same name, the show had, although, gained a respectable critical approval.
- The news comes less than a month after the last episode of the first season aired, suggesting that Apple TV is actively looking to trim its weak branches.
The arena of streaming is highly competitive, and one that is closely guarded for production and quality. Major industry players like Netflix and Prime Video have constantly leveled up with original content and innovative stories to get a hold of strong viewership numbers while also amassing a popular fanbase. A late entrant to this battle of screens, Apple TV has followed up with its track record of producing acclaimed projects, including the Taika Waititi directorial, Time Bandits.
The show debuted its first season in July 2024 and narrated a plot following an unlikely alliance between a band of thieves and an 11-year-old history buff named Kevin, played by Kal-El Tuck. Also featuring the director in the role of Supreme Being, it had clinched a good enough acclaim. However, the fantasy-adventure show just grossed a disappointing update regarding its continuity that may not sit well with fans.
Time Bandits faces the axe despite praise
Headlined by a studded cast including Friends alum Lisa Kudrow and Taika Waititi himself, Time Bandits will not be getting a season two renewal, reported Deadline. The news comes less than a month after the last episode of the first season aired, suggesting that Apple TV is actively looking to trim its weak branches and give preference to shows with a healthy mix of quality, reviews, and viewership, such as the Jennifer Aniston starrer The Morning Show.
Based on a 1981 Terry Gilliam film of the same name, the show had, although, gained a respectable critical approval with 78% on Rotten Tomatoes. Moreover, several of its IMDb reviews mentioned viewers “liking it enough to binge it” and “Way better than the user rating suggests”. Furthermore, its cast mix and imaginatively playful story made it appeal to all ages, making it a good watch.
On the contrary, the report mentioned the show not being able to make its way to top viewership. From falling behind in Nielsen’s Top 10 rankings for original series to struggling for overall popularity, its audience ratings stand as a stark reminder that it did not merit another season. Moreover, the high production costs, along with a remake tag, did not do it any favors.
Taika Waititi walks on thin ice ever since Thor: Love and Thunder debacle
Apple TV’s cancelation of Time Bandits marks another blow for Taika Waititi, who had recently announced his departure from Marvel Studios’ Thor franchise. Yet, it came after a major disaster. After reinventing the Chris Hemsworth character in Thor: Ragnarok, the director’s next MCU production came across as a mess of issues, landing mixed audience reception.
Thor: Love and Thunder found mentions of poor CGI, an unbalanced storyline, over-stuffing of humor, lack of seriousness, and marred character development for one of Marvel’s biggest heroes post the Avengers: Endgame era. However, his split with the Kevin Feige team had his credibility tarnished, with a domino effect spilling over to his other projects.
Among the biggest upcoming productions for Waititi, lies an untitled Star Wars project. Despite being announced and said to be in development for the past four years, there has come no substantial news out of it. Furthermore, with Disney having canceled a bunch of Star Wars projects, including a Boba Fett movie, rumors are rife of Taika Waititi facing the axe at Lucasfilm.
Time Bandits is available to stream on Apple TV.
