Apple's new version of Time Bandits now has Taika Waititi, says report

A revamp of the cult classic Terry Gilliam movie, heading for Apple's streaming service, adds the Thor: Ragnarok director.

Scott Stein Editor at Large

I started with CNET reviewing laptops in 2009. Now I explore wearable tech, VR/AR, tablets, gaming and future/emerging trends in our changing world. Other obsessions include magic, immersive theater, puzzles, board games, cooking, improv and the New York Jets. My background includes an MFA in theater which I apply to thinking about immersive experiences of the future.

Expertise VR and AR, gaming, metaverse technologies, wearable tech, tablets Credentials

Nearly 20 years writing about tech, and over a decade reviewing wearable tech, VR, and AR products and apps

See full bio

Scott Stein

March 11, 2019 12:41 p.m. PT

Taika Waititi with CNET's Rich Trenholm at Sundance 2016.
Alvaro Aguayo

Apple's yet-to-be-unveiled TV streaming service has a lot of content in the works, and one of the weirdest now has a big-name writer and director attached.

Taika Waititi is now set to direct and co-write the pilot episode of a new Time Bandits TV series, according to Variety. The already announced series had been rumored by director Terry Gilliam for years, well before Apple's project existed, but seems to be on more solid footing than ever.

Waititi is a major add, having directed Marvel's Thor: Ragnarok and cult vampire comedy What We Do In The Shadows. Waititi is currently directing Disney's upcoming Star Wars TV series, The Mandalorian, and has a TV version of What We Do In The Shadows that's launching this month on FX.

The original Time Bandits movie, directed by Terry Gilliam in 1981, was produced by George Harrison of The Beatles and featured a ton of actors including Sean Connery, Ian Holm, Shelley Duvall, and the cast of Monty Python in a story involving a runaway group of time-traveling dwarf thieves.

It's still not clear how the new version will connect to the original -- reboot, sequel, or something else -- but it's one of the most fascinating wild cards of Apple's streaming lineup.