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Taika Waititi’s ‘Time Bandits’ Series at Apple Sets Main Cast, Including Lisa Kudrow and Charlene Yi

Lisa Kudrow Charlene Yi Kal-El Tuck Roger Jean Nsengiyumva
John Russo; Courtesy of Apple; Charlene Yi; Courtesy of Apple

The “Time Bandits” TV series at Apple from Taika Waititi has found its main cast, Variety has learned.

Joining the series are: Lisa Kudrow (“Friends,” “The Comeback” as Penelope; Kal-El Tuck (“Unseeing Evil,” “Band in the Sand”) as Kevin; Charlyne Yi (“Knocked up,” “Paper Heart”) as Judy; Tadhg Murphy (“Conversations with Friends,” “Black Sails”) as Alto; Roger Jean Nsengiyumva (“You Don’t know Me,” “Tomb Raider”) as Widgit; Rune Temte (“The Last Kingdom,” “Captain Marvel”) as Bittelig; Kiera Thompson (“Martyrs Lane,” “Salisbury Poisonings”) as Saffron; and Rachel House (“Heartbreak High,” “Thor Ragnarok”) as Fianna.

The official description of the 10-episode series describes it as “a comedic journey through time and space with a ragtag group of thieves and their newest recruit: an eleven-year-old history nerd (Tuck).”

Kudrow is repped by CAA, Viewpoint and Gochman Law Group. Tuck is repped by rebel nineteen.
Yi is repped by Global Artists Agency, manager Gladys Gonzalez and Ginsburg Daniels Kallis. Murphy is repped by Susannah Norris Agency. Nsengiyumva is repped by United Agents.
Temte is repped by Actors in Scandinavia, in the US by Artist International, and Jackoway Austen. Thompson is repped by CVGG. House is repped by Lion Rock Management.

Waititi co-wrote the pilot for the series and will also direct the first two episodes. He executive produces alongside Jemaine Clement, Iain Morris, and Garrett Basch along with Handmade Films. Clement and Morris also co-wrote with Waititi. “Time Bandits” is produced by Paramount Television Studios, Anonymous Content’s AC Studios, and MRC Television.

“Time Bandits” was first reported as being in development at Apple in 2018, with Waititi coming onboard in 2019.

The original “Time Bandits” was released in 1981. The film was directed by Terry Gilliam, who co-wrote the script with his fellow “Monty Python” alum Michael Palin. Palin also appeared in the film with fellow Python John Cleese as well as Sean Connery, Shelley Duvall, Craig Warnock, Kenny Baker, and Ian Holm among many others.

(Pictured: Lisa Kudrow, Roger Jean Nsengiyumva, Charlene Yi, Kal-El Tuck)