(RNS) — An animated film made by and for Muslims will hit hundreds of U.S. and Canadian movie theaters this weekend, marking a milestone for Muslim children’s representation on the big screen. 

The movie, “Time Hoppers: The Silk Road,” follows four gifted students who travel back in time on a mission to protect historical Muslim scientists from an evil, time-bending alchemist. It marks the first major theatrical release of an animated feature by Muslim creators.

Co-writer and director Flordeliza Dayrit told Religion News Service that the film showcases the rich history of Muslim innovators who have shaped the world but are not often given screen time. 

“A lot of times you see Muslims in the media, especially in Hollywood, as bad guys, as villains,” Dayrit said. “With ‘Time Hoppers,’ we want to make sure Muslim kids are the superheroes of the movie.”

Produced by Milo Productions, a Canadian children’s media company, and distributed by Fathom Entertainment, “Time Hoppers” will be shown at over 650 theaters across the two countries starting on Saturday and Sunday (Feb. 7 and 8). Entertainment industry outlet Variety reported 35,000 tickets were sold in pre-sales as of Thursday (Feb. 5). 

The film has generated “unprecedented grassroots support,” said Michael Milo, the film’s co-producer. 

With a limited marketing budget, Milo said his team initially worried about how to spread word about the film. To his surprise, interest in the film grew organically through what he called “local champions” — a network of families, influencers and community leaders who promoted the film out of genuine support.

Several Muslim American educators, religious scholars and community leaders were cast in voice roles, including Omar Regan, Dalia Mogahed and Imam Omar Suleiman (an RNS columnist). Their inclusion built more community buy-in and trust in the film, the producers said. That early excitement made it possible for Fathom Entertainment to rapidly increase theater bookings and show times in response. 

“The industry is recognizing Muslims as a big and important segment of the overall population, and also one that has purchasing power to go to the movies,” Milo said. 

But authentic stories about Muslims are not only meaningful for Muslim viewers, research shows. Positive depictions of Muslims in entertainment media lead to greater opposition to anti-democratic and anti-Muslim policies, according to a 2025 study from the Institute for Social Policy and Understanding, an American Muslim research organization.

While Milo said “Time Hoppers” does not have direct religious messages, the film is meant to show that Muslim life and characters belong in entertainment. “We are demonstrating to the world that faith has a place, and it should be celebrated, and it’s such an integral part of so many people’s lives,” he said. “Why shouldn’t it be much more present in cinema or on television?”

To that end, Milo and Dayrit consulted MPAC Hollywood Bureau, a subset of the Muslim Public Affairs Council that works to improve how Muslims are represented on screen. The writers of the film also relied on Muslim historians to accurately portray historic figures such as mathematician Al-Khwarizmi and Fatima al-Fihriya, who founded the world’s first university. 

Hassam Munir, a Canada-based historian who works with Yaqeen Institute for Islamic Research’s marketing team, researched and selected the historical Muslim innovators for the “Time Hoppers” mobile game, which was adapted into the film.

He said he aimed to depict a diverse set of figures to show that Muslim contributions were not limited to a particular time, place or cultural background. 

“It’s about showing Muslim children heroes that look and sound familiar, which is not something that Muslim children might often get to see,” he said, adding that it is important for Muslims “to tell our stories.” 

Milo and Dayrit, the husband-and-wife team behind Milo Productions, have years of experience producing children’s media. The company’s main project is MuslimKids.TV, a specialty streaming service launched in 2016. 

“We want the film to be a proof of concept for Muslim media makers out there,” Dayrit said.