Apple TV Plus calls time on its reboot of a beloved 80s fantasy movie and cancels Time Bandits after one season

Tadhg Murphy, Lisa Kudrow, Roger Jean Nsengiyumva, Rune Temte, Kal-El Tuck and Kiera Thompson in Time Bandits.

Time Bandits has been canceled by Apple TV Plus. (Image credit: Apple TV Plus)

The Apple TV Plus show Time Bandits has run out of time as one of the best streaming services has canceled the series after one season.

The fantasy show was added to Apple TV Plus in late July and despite getting a 78% score from the critics on Rotten Tomatoes, the streamer has decided not to renew the series adaptation of Terry Gilliam's 1981 cult classic movie for a second season.

It's no surprise that Time Bandits received positive reviews given the amount of high-quality content the streaming giant consistently puts out – just look at our picks of the best Apple TV Plus shows. The fantasy series, created by Taikia Waititi, Jemaine Clement, and Iain Morris, was praised for its nostalgic nod to the original blockbuster with The Guardian writing: "this remake of the 80s film is a confident, hilarious romp through history." However, this wasn't enough to save Time Bandits from being axed.

What is Time Bandits about?

Time Bandits is based on Gilliam's iconic 80s fantasy movie that follows 11-year-old history buff Kevin (Kal-El Tuck), who finds a time-traveling portal in his wardrobe and joins a gang of expert thieves. Led by Penelope (Kudrow), the bandits go on fantastical adventures while evil forces threaten their endeavours. As they travel through time and space stealing valuable treasure, the gang come across enchanting distant worlds and rely on Kevin to explain various situations.

The series also features Charlyne Yi, Rune Temte, Tadhg Murphy, Kiera Thompson, Roger Jean Nsengiyumva, and Rachel House with show creators Waititi and Clement also making guest appearances.

Time Bandits isn't the only show that Apple TV Plus has dropped from its library, with the curtain being drawn on musical comedy Schmigadoon! earlier this year and it also quietly canceling hit animated series Central Park that had 98% on Rotten Tomatoes. Despite its sad cancelation, there's still plenty to watch in the new movies and shows on Apple TV Plus that we can't wait to watch in September 2024.

After graduating with a degree in Writing and Film Studies, Grace dived into the world of entertainment where she started writing all about the must-watch shows and movies at What To Watch. Now Grace is on her next writing adventure at TechRadar, where she uses her expertise to help readers keep up to date on the biggest TV shows and movies in the ever-changing world of streaming. If she’s not writing about her passion for entertainment, you’ll find her watching reality shows while feasting on chocolate.