‘Time Travel Is Dangerous’ Brings British Wit and Chaos to Austin and Beyond

The upcoming comedy fantasy Time Travel Is Dangerous is gearing up for a whirlwind of premieres at some of the most prestigious film festivals across the globe. Directed by Chris Reading and featuring an ensemble of British comedy legends, the film is set to have its world premiere at the 31st Austin Film Festival on October 26th, followed quickly by its European premiere at the Trieste Science+Fiction Festival and a UK premiere at Pigeon Shrine FrightFest Halloween on November 2nd. To mark the film’s highly anticipated release, the team has unveiled a first-look teaser and an official poster that promise plenty of laughs, quirky antics, and sci-fi charm.

Starring beloved talents like Johnny Vegas, Sophie Thompson, Jane Horrocks, Mark Heap, and Tony Way—with narration by none other than Stephen Fry—Time Travel Is Dangerous blends comedy and sci-fi in a fresh, meta-universe romp that’s poised to capture audiences’ imaginations. Co-written by the acclaimed Shakespeare Sisters, Anna-Elizabeth and Hillary, the film follows real-life best friends Ruth Syratt and Megan Stevenson, who run a vintage bric-a-brac shop in Muswell Hill, London. Their mundane lives take a chaotic turn when they stumble upon a time machine, deciding to use it to stock their store with artefacts from the past, with little regard for the consequences of tampering with history.

As the pair embark on a series of careless time-traveling excursions, their misguided adventures start to have catastrophic effects on the fabric of the universe. After one too many trips, an interdimensional fissure appears, and Megan is trapped in a monstrous netherworld called The Unreason. Ruth must navigate a convoluted game in a surreal and nightmarish setting to save her friend, all while struggling to understand the true extent of the mess they’ve made.

Speaking about the film, director Chris Reading said, “We are delighted to premiere our mildly amusing film at Austin Film Festival, a city known for its comedy scene. We wanted to make a silly, but also heartwarming sci-fi film, which is quintessentially of a place: Muswell Hill, North London. A film full of the small-town, small-life, little-Britain absurdities which I find hilarious.”

The Shakespeare Sisters, Anna-Elizabeth and Hillary, also shared their excitement: “We can’t wait to show the world just how dangerous time travel can be for two idiots. With Austin, Trieste Sci+Fi, and FrightFest within a week, lucky we have the time machine to make all three premieres!” Their unique comedic sensibilities shine through in Time Travel Is Dangerous, and their collaboration with Reading promises an offbeat story rich in British humour, whimsical fantasy, and a good dose of sci-fi escapades.

Time Travel Is Dangerous is a quintessentially British take on sci-fi, with the charm of small-town quirks mixed with high-stakes temporal antics. The film is co-written and produced by Anna-Elizabeth and Hillary Shakespeare, who are no strangers to stories of offbeat humour and relatable characters. Their previous films, such as Soundtrack to Sixteen and Much Ado, have been marked by their fresh and witty takes on coming-of-age themes, and their newest collaboration takes their love for comedy to the unpredictable landscapes of time and space.

The film’s cast is as stellar as it is comedic, featuring not only Vegas, Thompson, Horrocks, Heap, and Way, but also Tom Lenk. With Stephen Fry lending his distinct voice as narrator, Time Travel Is Dangerous is bound to deliver an experience as chaotic as it is endearing. Fans of genre-blending comedies should mark their calendars for a hilarious exploration of how truly dangerous meddling with time can be.

Time Travel Is Dangerous trailer