Timestalker

{{Infobox film

| name = Timestalker

| image = File:Timestalker (2024) quad poster.jpg

| caption = Theatrical release poster

| director = Alice Lowe

| producer = {{plainlist|

Alice Lowe
Mark Hopkins
Tom Wood
Vaughan Sivell
Natan Stoessel}}

| writer = Alice Lowe

| based_on =

| starring = {{plainlist|

| music = Toydrum{{Citation needed|date=October 2024}}

| cinematography = Ryan Eddleston

| editing = {{plainlist|

Matyas Fekete
Chris Dickens}}

| studio = {{plainlist|

BFI
Head Gear Films
Ffilm Cymru Wales
Western Edge Pictures
Popcorn Group}}

| distributor = Vertigo Releasing

| released = {{Film date|2024|3|8|SXSW|2024|10|11|United Kingdom and Ireland|df=y}}

| runtime =

| country = United Kingdom

| language = English

| budget =

}}

Timestalker is a 2024 British historical science fiction romantic comedy film written, directed by, and starring Alice Lowe.{{Cite web |last=Wise |first=Damon |date=15 May 2024 |title=Timestalker Director Alice Lowe on Women and the Horror Genre: "I Like Outraging an Audience" |url=https://deadline.com/2024/05/alice-lowe-interview-women-horror-directors-1235907163/ |access-date=15 May 2024 |website=Deadline Hollywood |archive-date=15 May 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240515160933/https://deadline.com/2024/05/alice-lowe-interview-women-horror-directors-1235907163/ |url-status=live }}

Synopsis

Agnes falls in love with the wrong man and then gets reincarnated and falls in love with him over and over again, travelling through 1680s western Scotland, rural England in the 1790s, 1980s Manhattan, and a post-apocalyptic 22nd century.{{Cite web|last=Dessau|first=Bruce|url=https://beyondthejoke.co.uk/content/12679/alice-lowe-film|title=Shooting Starts and Cast Revealed for New Alice Lowe Film Timestalker|website=Beyondthejoke.co.uk|date=19 October 2022|access-date=5 December 2024}}

Cast

Alice Lowe as Agnes
Jacob Anderson as Scipio
Nick Frost as George
Tanya Reynolds as Meg
Aneurin Barnard as Alex
Kate Dickie as Marion
Dan Renton Skinner as Officer/Priest
Mike Wozniak as Dan Chovy

Production

In February 2021, it was announced that Lowe's new project was called Timestalker and was a romantic comedy about one woman's unrequited love across centuries from 1680s western Scotland through to an apocalyptic 22nd century. It had Sam Riley, Jacob Anderson and Natasia Demetriou attached to it with Lowe also acting. Vaughan Sivell was announced as producing for Western Edge Pictures and HanWay handling international sales.{{Cite web|last=Grater|first=Tom|url=https://deadline.com/2021/02/sam-riley-natasia-demetriou-hanway-sales-efm-1234697008/|title=Sam Riley, Natasia Demetriou & Jacob Anderson Join Rom-Com Timestalker From Prevenge Director Alice Lowe; HanWay Boards Sales|website=Deadline Hollywood|date=19 February 2021|access-date=5 December 2024|archive-date=19 February 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210219152245/https://deadline.com/2021/02/sam-riley-natasia-demetriou-hanway-sales-efm-1234697008/|url-status=live}}{{Cite web|last=Brew|first=Simon|url=https://www.filmstories.co.uk/news/timestalker-alice-lowes-new-movie-lands-backers/|title=Timestalker: Alice Lowe's new movie lands backers|website=filmstories.co.uk|date=22 February 2021|access-date=5 December 2024}}{{Cite magazine|last=White|first=James|url=https://www.empireonline.com/movies/news/sam-riley-natasia-demetriou-and-jacob-anderson-on-for-alice-lowe-timestalker/|title=Sam Riley, Natasia Demetriou And Jacob Anderson On For Alice Lowe's Timestalker|magazine=Empire|date=21 February 2021|access-date=5 December 2024|archive-date=20 July 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240720042245/https://www.empireonline.com/movies/news/sam-riley-natasia-demetriou-and-jacob-anderson-on-for-alice-lowe-timestalker/|url-status=live}} In October 2022, it was announced that filming had commenced with Nick Frost, Tanya Reynolds, Aneurin Barnard, Kate Dickie, Dan Skinner, and Mike Wozniak in the cast and Riley and Demetriou no longer involved. Popcorn Group were on board as co-producers with funding coming from the BFI, Head Gear Films, and Ffilm Cymru Wales with funding from the National Lottery and the Welsh Government via Creative Wales.{{Cite web|last=Ntim|first=Zac |url=https://deadline.com/2022/10/alice-lowe-romcom-timestalker-stars-shooting-with-kate-dickie-dan-skinner-and-mike-wozniak-joining-cast-1235149167/|title=Alice Lowe Romcom Timestalker Starts Shooting With Nick Frost, Tanya Reynolds, and Aneurin Barnard Joining Cast|website=Deadline Hollywood|date=19 October 2022|access-date=5 December 2024}}{{Cite web|last=Tabbara|first=Mona|date=19 October 2022|url=https://www.screendaily.com/news/aneurin-barnard-tanya-reynolds-nick-frost-join-alice-lowes-timestalker/5175603.article|title=Aneurin Barnard, Tanya Reynolds, Nick Frost join Alice Lowe's Timestalker|website=Screen Daily|access-date=5 December 2024|archive-date=29 September 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230929092619/https://www.screendaily.com/news/aneurin-barnard-tanya-reynolds-nick-frost-join-alice-lowes-timestalker/5175603.article|url-status=live}}{{Cite web|last=Bullock|first=Dan|url=https://www.criticalpopcorn.com/2022/10/25/cast-announced-for-alice-lowes-timestalker-and-filming-is-underway/|title=Cast announced for Alice Lowe's Timestalker and filming is underway|website=Criticalpopcorn.com|date=25 October 2022|access-date=5 December 2024|archive-date=25 March 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230325164314/https://criticalpopcorn.com/2022/10/25/cast-announced-for-alice-lowes-timestalker-and-filming-is-underway/|url-status=live}} HanWay Films released first look images of Frost and Lowe in historical costume in February 2023.{{Cite web|last=Tabbara|first=Mona|date=17 February 2023|url=https://www.screendaily.com/news/hanway-reveals-first-look-at-alice-lowes-timestalker-exclusive/5179270.article|title=HanWay reveals first look at Alice Lowe's Timestalker (exclusive)|website=Screen Daily|access-date=5 December 2024|archive-date=19 July 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240719121128/https://www.screendaily.com/news/hanway-reveals-first-look-at-alice-lowes-timestalker-exclusive/5179270.article|url-status=live}}

Release

Timestalker had its world premiere at South by Southwest on 8 March 2024.{{cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2024/02/sxsw-2024-lineup-additions-sydney-sweeney-nicolas-cage-monkey-man-1235817961/|title=SXSW 2024 Second Wave Includes Pics With Sydney Sweeney, Nicolas Cage, Camila Mendes & 'Monkey Man'|website=Deadline Hollywood|first=Anthony|last=D'Alessandro|date=7 February 2024|access-date=7 February 2024|archive-date=7 February 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240207200930/https://deadline.com/2024/02/sxsw-2024-lineup-additions-sydney-sweeney-nicolas-cage-monkey-man-1235817961/|url-status=live}}{{Cite magazine|last=Travis|first=Ben|url=https://www.empireonline.com/movies/news/alice-lowe-timestalker-comedic-fantasy-romance-reincarnation-dario-argento-exclusive/|title=Alice Lowe's Timestalker Is A Comedic Fantasy Romance About Reincarnation, With Nods To Dario Argento – Exclusive Image|magazine=Empire|date=16 January 2024|access-date=5 December 2024|archive-date=26 November 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241126165345/https://www.empireonline.com/movies/news/alice-lowe-timestalker-comedic-fantasy-romance-reincarnation-dario-argento-exclusive/|url-status=live}} The film had its Canadian premiere at the 28th Fantasia International Film Festival on 31 July 2024.{{cite web |url=https://fantasiafestival.com/en/news/fantasia-2024-third-wave |title=Fantasia's 28th Edition Awards Filmmaker Mike Flanagan, Closes with the World Premiere of André Forcier's Ababouiné |website=Fantasia International Film Festival |access-date=3 July 2024 |archive-date=5 July 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240705063903/https://fantasiafestival.com/en/news/fantasia-2024-third-wave |url-status=live }} In June 2024, Vertigo Releasing acquired distribution rights to the film for the United Kingdom and Ireland from HanWay Films.{{cite web|title=SXSW reincarnation romp Timestalker picked up for UK-Ireland|website=Screen International|first=Mona|last=Tabbara|date=13 June 2024|access-date=14 June 2024|url=https://www.screendaily.com/news/sxsw-reincarnation-romp-timestalker-picked-up-for-uk-ireland-exclusive/5194519.article}}

The film was released theatrically in the United Kingdom and Ireland on 11 October 2024.{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/film/2024/oct/10/timestalker-review-alice-lowes-anti-romcom-is-a-darkly-hilarious-spin-through-history|title=Timestalker review – Alice Lowe’s anti-romcom is a darkly hilarious spin through history|last=Bradshaw|first=Peter|author-link=Peter Bradshaw|date=10 October 2024|work=The Guardian|access-date=15 December 2024}} It was released digitally on video-on-demand (VOD) platforms the following month.{{cite web|url=https://www.digitalspy.com/movies/a62850284/watch-timestalker-digital-release/|title=One of 2024's best British movies is now available to watch at home|last=Sandwell|first=Ian|date=November 11, 2024|website=Digital Spy|access-date=15 December 2024}}

Reception

{{Rotten Tomatoes prose|87|6.9|47|Leveraging fantasy to explore how bad life choices are evergreen, Timestalker is a clever and imaginative sophomore feature from director and star Alice Lowe.}}{{cite web|url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/timestalker|title=Timestalker|website=Rotten Tomatoes|access-date=14 February 2025}} {{Metacritic film prose|72|14}}{{cite web|url=https://www.metacritic.com/movie/timestalker/|title=Timestalker|website=Metacritic|access-date=8 February 2025}}