The Time Traveler’s Wife: Doctor Who’s Steven Moffat is behind a brand new HBO adaptation starring Theo James and Rose Leslie

As the man behind Doctor Who, Steven Moffat is the ideal candidate to adapt a new version of Audrey Niffenegger's much-loved novel The Time Traveler’s Wife for HBO.

Starring British actors Theo James and Rose Leslie, the six-part series is an intricate and magical love story that follows a couple whose marriage is complicated by time travel.

The Time Traveler’s Wife is coming soon to HBO and HBO Max in the UK, and Sky Atlantic/NOW in the UK.

Here, we reveal everything we know so far about The Time Traveler’s Wife, including the release date, who’s in the cast, the plot, the trailer, and more.

When is the release date for The Time Traveler’s Wife?

The Time Traveler’s Wife will be available to stream on Sky Atlantic with NOW from Monday 16 May.

There are six episodes in the series. 

In the US, it launches on HBO and HBO Max on Sunday 15 May.

What’s the plot of The Time Traveler’s Wife?

Since she was six years old, Clare (Rose Leslie) has had an imaginary friend: a kind and funny man, sometimes old, sometimes young, who appears in the woods behind her house and tells her tales of the future. 

Visits from the mysterious Henry (Theo James) are the bright spots in the tedium of her childhood. As the years pass and  she grows into a beautiful young woman, she starts to realise her friend is not imaginary - he’s a time traveller, visiting from the future.

And he’s not just from any old future, he’s from her future. Clare has a literal date with destiny. One day she’s going to meet  a young man called Henry DeTamble, whom she’ll know very well but who won’t recognise her at all, and she will become the time traveller’s wife.

Who’s in the cast of The Time Traveler's Wife?

• Theo James (Sanditon, Divergent) is Henry DeTamble, a man with a genetic disorder that causes him to travel forwards and backwards in time unpredictably.

Sanditon to Divergent: Theo James’ 5 best roles you need to watch >

• Rose Leslie (Game of Thrones, The Good Fight) is Clare Abshire, the time traveller’s wife of the title.

Downton Abbey fans will recognise James and Leslie from season 1 of the ITV period drama, in which James played the Turkish diplomat Mr Pamuk who seduced Lady Mary Crawley (Michelle Dockery), and Leslie played housemaid Gwen Dawson.

Caitlin Shorey and Everleigh McDonell both play Young Claire Abshire, while Brian Altemus and Jason David both appear as Young Henry DeTamble

• Desmin Borges (You’re the Worst, Living with Yourself) as Gomez, Henry and Clare's friend.

• Natasha Lopez (Runner Runner, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit) as Charisse, Clare’s best friend.

Further cast members of The Time Traveler’s Wife include Caitlin Shorey, Everleigh McDonnell, Michael Park, Jaime Ray Newman, Taylor Richardson, Peter Graham, Brian Altemus, Jason David, Kate Siegel, Josh Stamberg, Chelsea Frei, Marcia DeBonis, Will Brill and Spencer House.

Who created The Time Traveler’s Wife?

The Time Traveler’s Wife is Audrey Niffenegger's bestselling debut novel, published in 2003. In 2009, it was adapted into a film starring Eric Bana and Rachel McAdams.

This new TV adaptation is produced by HBO and Warner Bros Television, with Steven Moffat, Sue Vertue, and Brian Minchin executive producing via their Hartswood Films, alongside Joseph E. Iberti and director David Nutter.

Is there a trailer for The Time Traveler’s Wife?

Yes, you can watch the dramatic trailer for The Time Traveler’s Wife in full below:

“Time travel is not a superpower, it’s a disability. It’s what’s wrong with me,” Henry (Theo James) says in the trailer before vanishing into thin air.

You can also watch the teaser trailer at the top of this page.

Fans of the book are already calling this TV adaptation better than the movie version, with one commenting on the trailer: "Theo and Rose are killing it. This will be the adaptation the book deserves" while another wrote: "I'm really excited to see Rose and Theo take on the roles of Clare and Henry… Their American accents are so on point."

Watch The Time Traveler’s Wife if you liked…

Normal People, About Time, A Discovery of Witches, This Is Us, Outlander, Modern Love, Poldark.

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