Bloomberg (via SFFGazette.com) has revealed that Disney is currently in talks with BBC about acquiring the streaming right to what they describe as "a new Doctor Who series."
The discussions are said to be in the early stages, with no guarantee a deal will be reached. Apparently, this show would stream globally on Disney+, though BBC would also air the programme. What's interesting about this is the fact it's a new series and not the existing Doctor Who show; clearly, BBC has finally decided to expand its increasingly popular time-travelling franchise.
Disney+ is an interesting potential destination for Doctor Who, and we can't help but wonder whether this is leading to the entire series eventually being added to the platform. For the time being, HBO Max streams the show in the U.S., while it's previously been made available on Netflix and, obviously, the BBC iPlayer in the UK.
The report is very light on detail, so we have no idea what the plan is for this apparent spinoff. There's also no word on the creative team developing the project.
Russell T. Davies, who revived Doctor Who in 2005, recently returned to the series to focus on the Fourteenth Doctor, played by Sex Eduction star Ncuti Gatwa. A Scottish actor born in Rwanda, he's the first Black person in the title role and follows Jodie Whittaker (the first woman to play the iconic sci-fi character).
Given the nature of The Doctor, a previous actor could return as the character or we could pick up with another iteration in any number of settings. It's also possible that the focus will be shifted to a totally different protagonist, similar to how Torchwood focused on Captain Jack Harkness after he was first introduced in the man series. He was also a Russell creation, remember.
Doctor Who and Disney+ is an intriguing combination, anyway, and we'll be keeping a very close eye on how this story develops. With that in mind, keep checking SFFGazette.com for updates!