Martin Freeman Starring as Time Guardian in Fantasy Film Momo and the Time Thieves

Martin Freeman stars as the Guardian of Time in the upcoming fantasy film Momo and the Time Thieves, which is slated for a UK theatrical release on Friday 14 August 2026, according to exclusive details and first-look footage revealed by Radio Times. Based on Michael Ende’s bestselling children’s novel Momo, the adaptation follows a young orphan girl fighting a powerful international corporation.

Production Scale and Literary Adaptation Metrics

The narrative centers on an orphan girl named Momo, played by British actress Alexa Goodall, who lives in the ruins of an old Roman amphitheatre. Freeman’s character, Master Hora, guides Momo through a race against time to defeat malevolent grey creatures that steal the colour and joy out of human lives. Alongside Freeman and Goodall, the cast includes Claes Bang, Kim Bodnia, Laura Haddock, Jennifer Amaka Pettersson, and David Schütter.

Thematic Stakes and Narrative Conflict

In the exclusive first-look footage published by Radio Times, Freeman’s Master Hora explains the mechanics of the antagonists to Momo. “Their human appearance is only a disguise, strictly speaking they’re nothing,” Freeman says in the clip.

Momo spends her days alongside her best friend Gino, played by Aroloyin Oshunremi, before the interference of a powerful international corporation disrupts their community. When isolation sets in, a magical tortoise named Cassiopeia leads Momo to Master Hora.

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