With the "tender" process now over, the BBC is considering competing pitches it's received from potential new Doctor Who creative teams. Today, Deadline (via SFFGazette.com) has shared details on at least some of those in contention to step inside the TARDIS.
Line of Duty showrunner Jed Mercurio is in the mix, with the production company he runs with Hat Trick founder Jimmy Mulville, Hat Trick Mercurio, submitting a proposal that would see Mercurio take charge of the show. His previous television work includes Invasion: Earth, Bodyguard, and Cardiac Arrest.
World Productions, another Line of Duty producer, is spearheading a pitch for ITV Studios to reimagine the Time Lord for the BBC after what proved a largely disastrous return for Russell T Davies and Bad Wolf. Disney+ came on board to give Doctor Who a big-budget feel, but jumped ship when Davies' vision for the franchise didn't connect with audiences.
One of the biggest shockers is the news that the TARDIS could leave Wales for Scotland. STV Studios, the company behind Blue Lights and Criminal Record, has made what's described as an "audacious bid" to move the show to the country alongside Screen Scotland.
At least two BBC Studios labels are expected to make pitches for Doctor Who, giving them an obvious edge in the process given their ties to the main BBC group.
"Anyone with a pulse knows it will go to BBC Studios," one producer told the trade, with another executive adding, "If Jane Tranter and Russell T Davies can’t make sense of that show, then who can and who wants to? It feels like a thankless task."
The report adds, "Other interested parties may yet emerge. There is speculation, for example, of a second Scottish bid with a well-known native actor thought to be interested in picking up the Sonic Screwdriver."
"Deadline has established that several top producers have declined to throw their hat into the ring, with many citing concerns about the lack of rights and the production contract sucking creative energy away from other projects. Among those not bidding are A24 UK, Playground, Mammoth Screen, New Pictures, Big Talk Studios, Expectation and Quay Street."
Speculation about who that Scottish actor could be is already running rampant, with names like Ewan McGregor, James McAvoy, and Richard Madden being thrown around on social media.
Davies' latest stint in the TARDIS was meant to Marvel-ize the "Whoniverse," but neither Disney+ nor viewers stuck around for what proved a largely disappointing reboot. His latest run was defined by controversial creative decisions and politics that many fans felt were a step too far for Doctor Who (incel culture and pronouns factored heavily into stories).
Keep checking back here for updates on Doctor Who as we have them.