Doctor Who has long been a quintessentially British series, with most of its fanbase based in the UK. The show has a relatively small audience in the U.S. and overseas, and the BBC's deal with Disney+ was supposed to bring it to a global audience in a big way.
Instead, Russell T Davies' latest revival was a flop, and it failed to even top the ratings for Jodie Whittaker's disappointing stint in the TARDIS (which, despite her well-received take on the first female Doctor, was widely regarded as a failure, creatively speaking).
Deadline (via SFFGazette.com) has taken a deep dive into why Disney+ decided to walk away from Doctor Who, explaining that, "What was conceived as a plan to Marvel-ize the franchise did not translate into a big bang."
The all-new "Whoniverse" is said to have fallen apart for several reasons, and not even lead star Ncuti Gatwa has emerged unscathed. An unnamed Doctor Who source told the trade that his reluctance to embrace the role ultimately hurt the show.
"There is more to that role than performing," they said. "You have got to be an ambassador for the brand and embrace being that generation’s Doctor. Matt Smith and David Tennant fully understood the responsibility it carried." The actor's busy schedule meant he played only a minor role in at least half of Season 1.
Money might have been the biggest factor, as Disney reportedly regretted spending so much on the series (you'll recall that the deal was made when former Disney CEO Bob Chapek was throwing as many resources as possible into streaming). The budget was between $6 million - $8 million an episode, taking the value of this deal to as much as $169 million.
With Doctor Who failing to secure new Disney+ subscribers, it was not a good investment. BBC sources argue that Disney+ never got behind the show in terms of marketing, though those representing the House of Mouse dispute the claims.
Much was said about the show's "woke" themes upon its return, including a same-sex kiss for the Doctor, drag queen Jinkx Monsoon as a villain, and an episode about incel robots. A well-placed industry source tells the site that Doctor Who became "too woke for Trump's USA," with this being a "factor in Disney minds" when it came to not continuing the partnership.
So, what's next for Doctor Who? Well, Davies will be back for a 2026 Christmas Special, which "can be a reset and buys everyone time to make decisions," says one source close to the show. However, the budget will be slashed, with the BBC spending at most $2.5 million - $3 million per episode.
The door isn't closed on another U.S.-based partner entering the mix, but the likes of HBO and Netflix don't appear to be in talks with the BBC as of now.
As always, keep checking back here for updates on Doctor Who's future as we have them.