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November 14th, 2011 138 comments

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Doctor Who Big Screen Movie on its way?

Doctor Who Movie on its way

From www.variety.com

Sources close to show say this is nothing more than a rumour but BBC news is reporting this article giving the impression its fact

LONDON — “Harry Potter” director David Yates is teaming up with the BBC to turn its iconic sci-fi TV series “Doctor Who” into a bigscreen franchise.

Yates, who directed the last four Potter films, told Daily Variety that he is about to start work on developing a “Doctor Who” movie with Jane Tranter, BBC Worldwide’s L.A.-based exec VP of programming and production.

“We’re looking at writers now. We’re going to spend two to three years to get it right,” he said. “It needs quite a radical transformation to take it into the bigger arena.”

“Doctor Who” follows the adventures across space and time of a super-intelligent alien in human form, who battles a variety of cosmic bad guys aided by plucky human companions.

“The notion of the time-travelling Time Lord is such a strong one, because you can express story and drama in any dimension or time,” Yates said.

The series ran from 1963 to 1989, and then was successfully rebooted in 2005 by writer Russell T. Davies and subsequently by Steven Moffat (“The Adventures of Tintin”). Tranter oversaw the revival when she was the BBC’s drama topper in London.

“Doctor Who,” starring Matt Smith as the 11th incarnation of the Doctor, is now one of the pubcaster’s most lucrative global TV franchises.

The series airs Stateside on BBC America.

Yates made clear that his movie adaptation would not follow on from the current TV series, but would take a completely fresh approach to the material.

“Russell T. Davies and then Steven Moffat have done their own transformations, which were fantastic, but we have to put that aside and start from scratch,” he said.

Yates and Tranter are looking for writers on both sides of the Atlantic.

“We want a British sensibility, but having said that, Steve Kloves wrote the Potter films and captured that British sensibility perfectly, so we are looking at American writers too,” he explained.

There are two previous films, based on the TV series: “Doctor Who and the Daleks” (1965) and “Doctor Who: Daleks’ Invasion Earth 2150 A.D.” (1966), both starring Peter Cushing.

The BBC has since made a few unsuccessful attempts to develop a “Doctor Who” feature, and shot a one-off telepic in 1996 at a time when the TV series was dormant.

But the combination of Yates and Tranter means this is the most high-powered effort to date to launch “Doctor Who” onto the bigscreen.

Before directing “Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix,” “Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince” and both parts of “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows,” Yates worked with Tranter on several BBC TV series, including “The Way We Live Now” and “State of Play.”


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138 comments

  • Rooners

    December 4th, 2011 - 9:13pm

    When I read the following quote from Steven Moffat…it MADE MY DAY…

    Stephen Moffat:

    “Any Doctor Who movie would be made by the BBC team, star the current TV Doctor and certainly NOT be a Hollywood reboot. David Yates, great director, was speaking off the cuff, on a red carpet. You’ve seen the rubbish I talk when I’m cornered.”

    Of course, the BBC may be keeping something from him (although I’m sure he went straight to the top when he heard the guff from David Yates) or they made change there mind…but for now it looks like we are dafe from a Hollywood Re-boot.

    Reply
    • Rooners

      December 4th, 2011 - 9:24pm

      Sorry for the typos (I was clearly excited about this update from SM).

      Corrections:
      “…or they MAY change THEIR mind…”
      “…it looks like we are SAFE from a Hollywood Re-boot.”

    • Leelafan101 (formerly Shihan)

      March 25th, 2012 - 12:00am

      Thank god

  • aarondrwhofan64

    November 23rd, 2011 - 11:25am

    booboo who would you like to play the 12th doctor?

    Reply
    • aarondrwhofan64

      November 24th, 2011 - 7:21pm

      i would like simon pegg,benidict cumberbatch,james mcavoy,johnny depp,paul mcgann(to come back),harrison ford,john leguizamo ordan castellaneta to play the doctor in that movie. 🙂

    • Commander Strax

      March 1st, 2012 - 5:42pm

      jonney depp

  • Fox Mulder

    November 22nd, 2011 - 10:27pm

    If it happens, It will be Realy american . I just hope to god this movie makes doctor who a household name in America. Gt a good looking Actor and a sexy companion and have a budget of like $250,000 and make it an origin story set partially on OLD Galifrey and MODERN day Earth. I will be waiting in anticipation.

    Reply
  • Commander Strax

    November 19th, 2011 - 5:12pm

    oh great the dr is going round with a wizard hat and a sonic wand.
    LOOOOOOOOOL!!!

    Reply
    • aarondrwhofan64

      November 25th, 2011 - 9:26am

      parody of harry potter! Doctor Potter! LLLLLOOOOLLL!!!!!! 😆 😆 😆 😆 😆 😆 😆 😆 😆 😆

  • Silence Will Still Fall

    November 17th, 2011 - 6:43pm

    This sounds naff, it will be over americanised like the paul mcgann movie. Don`t see whats wrong with casting docs 8,9,10,11 or even 12. I do like the idea though of a how it all began film, the silence could be the threat that would be epic!!!

    Reply
    • silence wont still fall

      November 18th, 2011 - 12:45pm

      i hear you

  • DWNUT

    November 17th, 2011 - 12:33pm

    I’m looking forward to it.
    I hope it will be about the Time War, give Mcgann a chance to replay the 8th Doctor and a chance for fans.
    I’m disappointed about the Director, why David Yates??
    He’s gonna RUIN Doctor Whop for everybody!!!!
    i think they shld’ve got Tim Burton or Steven Speilberg to do it

    Reply
    • Nik

      November 17th, 2011 - 4:12pm

      I agree. Harry Poter 5 and 7 Part 2 were not good 6 was allright and 7 was good, but overall since he started directing those films, they went downhill.

    • Dalek Sec

      November 18th, 2011 - 10:51am

      I would like a 8th/9th Doctor Time War movie. There were two other movies, The Daleks remake which i didn’t really like, and the Dalek Invasion on Earth remake which was much better.

  • McGann is the Doctor.

    November 17th, 2011 - 9:06am

    Intresting, I didn’t see this coming !

    But it’s got nothing to do with the TV series, the Cannonical Series.

    We’ll have to just wait and see how this goes, they’ll probably be casting a new actor in the starring role, better make it a good choice. 😉

    Reply
  • roboticjunk

    November 17th, 2011 - 12:05am

    Can i use your pudsey pictures of doctors? You will be credited

    Reply
    • booboo

      November 17th, 2011 - 7:39am

      for your own use that’s fine

  • the TARDIS

    November 16th, 2011 - 9:33pm

    Oh dear. A ‘Radical Makeover’ is not what Doctor Who needs. Although that’s probably just code for make it American. And the actors being considered are RIDICULOUS. With people’s obsession with Americans, they will take the hollywood version of Who as gospal. So seeing a real Who ep would make them think along the lines of ‘what? no, the film did NOT say that!’ The worst thing would be if it were a big success, what with it’s amazing effects and American storyline. Because then it would be bigger than the TV series. Doctor Who does not belong in the world of 2-hour big screen, it belongs in 25/45 minute TV. Oh, and put it on telly a few weeks after it’s out in cinemas, so people can watch it like true Who.

    Reply
  • ANTHONY

    November 16th, 2011 - 6:15pm

    is it true well i want matt to stay on it as the doc and cos if america do it there american ise it and we need matt to stay on it i mean it they could do the anaversarey with all eleven diffrent actrors cos some are to old now and 2 are died but still mtt could do it in the movie with karen and arthur id love that daleks everytin it better have the series 5 and 6 murry gold music

    Reply
  • DWFAN#1

    November 16th, 2011 - 3:51pm

    Has anyone else got the sinking feeling that this is Steven Moffats big suprise for the 50th Anniversary?…..

    Reply
    • booboo

      November 16th, 2011 - 3:55pm

      no it wont be

    • DWFAN#1

      November 16th, 2011 - 3:58pm

      Good! Thanks for saying it wasn’t, as that probably wouldn’t please many of the fans anyway!

  • dwfan101 (torchwoodfan101)

    November 16th, 2011 - 3:21pm

    Booboo, why don’t you update your youtube account. Look when the last vid was posted:
    http://www.youtube.com/thedoctorwhosite

    Reply
    • booboo

      November 16th, 2011 - 3:39pm

      already answered that

    • dwfan101 (torchwoodfan101)

      November 16th, 2011 - 3:40pm

      where, sorry i can’t remember where i posted the question before. sorry!

    • dwfan101 (torchwoodfan101)

      November 16th, 2011 - 6:06pm

      Where did you post a response Booboo? I want to read it thats all!

    • booboo

      November 16th, 2011 - 6:14pm

      in the merchandise to your same question in there

      because the BBC started to get very hot on Copyright to the extent that some people got there entire accounts suspended , so we would rather not take the risk, we will use it when its appropriate

    • dwfan101 (torchwoodfan101)

      November 16th, 2011 - 6:31pm

      ok thank you and sorry for my nagging.

  • Haza14

    November 15th, 2011 - 10:25pm

    Oh God! This could be great however, it also has the potential to be terrible and change everything we know about Doctor Who. I hope they tie it in with the TV series, otherwise, what’s the point?

    Reply
    • Dark Side of the Moon

      November 16th, 2011 - 9:45am

      Money – that will be the point. From what I have read the SOLE purpose of this would be to give the film studio a franchise replacement for Harry Potter….so this is not being done becuase someone things DW deserves its chance on the big screen, its being done becuase someone thinks it will make a lot of money and someone is being paid a lot of money to change everything we know and love about DW in order to make it work for Hollywood…and if the BBC are given the opportunity to makes tens of millions from the franchise…they will be happy to sell their soul to the devil. If this is true then we have at least another 3 years of true Who…if after that they go ahead and start production, then we can wave good bye to the TV (and proper) version of DW as it just will not be able to compete with Hollywood and the American market who are still largely unaware of the TV DW.

      I cant understand why a lot of people think this is a good idea. There is nothing good about ths at all.

    • DWFAN#1

      November 16th, 2011 - 3:49pm

      I hope, if it goes through, that the TV series WILL continue! Otherwise it would be pointless for them anyway, so ignore that……
      But why sell, as the BBC calls is ‘Original British Drama’ to the US for a wad of cash? I have nothing wrongs with films in the US or anything, but why not keep it British?

    • Anonymous

      November 16th, 2011 - 4:03pm

      They might keep it British, they have said the US is only a consideration. Everything is just a consideration, this whole thing could still fall through and never get made.

    • Anon

      November 22nd, 2011 - 5:08pm

      well momentum pictures does english film so they could do it cos they did the kings speech.

  • AlphaOmega

    November 15th, 2011 - 9:14pm

    Will look forward to this. It’ll be very interesting to see what they do this.

    Reply
  • Doctor Who??

    November 15th, 2011 - 8:03pm

    BBC Films did the amazing StreetDance 3D really went well I think if they kept to a cinematic 3D Doctor Who Movie with at least a British actor playing the Doctor then that would be amazing BTW not 100% rumour

    Reply
  • RORY DOCTOR RIVER POND

    November 15th, 2011 - 7:22pm

    hope you don;t mind booboo, i habe posted a link to who people are guessing these guys will be in the role for doctor who from virginmedia
    who would you go for? http://www.virginmedia.com/movies/features/doctor-who-the-movie.php

    Reply
    • booboo

      November 15th, 2011 - 7:31pm

      Justin Bieber they have got to be kidding, if i had to choose benedict cumberbatch or Johnny Depp

  • RORY DOCTOR RIVER POND

    November 15th, 2011 - 7:20pm

    i disagree with this, it won’t be a matt smith or an amy film, which i think it should be, they will have to find a really imaginative and captivating monster and storyline, and who is gonna play the doctor? don’t like the idea at the mo. i think a really long doc who ep would be boring, no offence to doc who. 45mins is the right time for it. it would look wierd with matt one seconed, another uy the next, then matt again! keep doc who as it is! who agrees? probably knowone… 🙁

    Reply
    • Anonymous

      November 15th, 2011 - 7:43pm

      if they’re gonna do a doctor who film keep matt as the doctor. i possibly would excuse a tv series of who if there was a movie with matt, karen, arthur, alex and thinking about it – they could do another tv movie for the 50th anniversary if so they would have to bring back david tennant. i’d like to see matt and david to do an episode together it’d be interesting to see the differences in the characters because i think they are the two doctors that are most alike
      sorry i didn’t mean for it to be a long comment!

    • RORY DOCTOR RIVER POND

      November 16th, 2011 - 6:24pm

      tenth and eleventh? love it! i once created a figure adventure where the timelines were manipulated so amy met the tenth, not the eleventh doctor! the eleventh got mouthy donna!

  • K9andthedaleks

    November 15th, 2011 - 6:11pm

    If they do make a movie one thing is for sure it won’t be matt smith in the film. I don’t think the film is going to ruin doctor who I hope it will be better than series 5 doctor who if they do make it. 😛

    Reply
  • Commander Strax

    November 15th, 2011 - 5:32pm

    this might go a bit over the top if their amaricans

    Reply
  • Cyberking281

    November 15th, 2011 - 4:31pm

    At Last!

    Reply
  • the TARDIS

    November 15th, 2011 - 3:50pm

    Why have the beeb reported this already – 2/3 years in advance. And that’s only if it does go ahead at all! But if they must…
    1. Starring Paul McGann please – we never saw much of him. A shame, he’s really good on audio.
    2. set in the Time War. Or at least partially. I t would be interesting to see what they think happened.
    3. Written by a ‘veteran’ Whovian. Terrance Dicks maybe?
    4. Add a regeneration into Christopher Eccleston.
    5. Please don’t destroy everything we know and love about Doctor Who. Just like saying that the Doctor was half human in the TV movie.
    6. Broadcast on the telly a soon after it’s in the cinemas.

    Reply
    • Commander Strax

      November 15th, 2011 - 5:33pm

      i think they shound do that

    • DWFAN#1

      November 16th, 2011 - 3:33pm

      Totally agree with no. 2 – maybe if it was set before we knew him(/her if they ever will do that) as the doctor, like wot he experienced in the time war etc..
      And 5 – totally right! That would completely ruin it, and if its written by Steven Moffat, completely confuzzle us….

    • Commander Strax

      November 19th, 2011 - 5:10pm

      your right

    • Commander Strax

      April 22nd, 2012 - 4:57pm

      4. somone could tell the 9th dr did it hurt or somthing and he rembers it then we see his regeration.

  • DWFAN#1

    November 15th, 2011 - 3:50pm

    I’m not especially looking forward to this, mostly because of David Yates statement (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-15730665) of ‘Yates said it would take “two to three years to get it right” as the show needs “quite a radical transformation”‘ How does the show need a ‘radical transformation’? Thats just what i think anyway, sorry to have disagreed to you guys who are looking forward to it, it should still be good, but im not looking forward to any ‘radical transformations’ to doctor who…
    Anyone else agree?
    Sorry for the loooooooooong comment!

    Reply
    • booboo

      November 15th, 2011 - 3:53pm

      quite frankly i dont know what to think

    • Dark Side of the Moon

      November 15th, 2011 - 4:25pm

      The only way these movies will work is if the are the adventures of the Doctor before we met him….i.e. a younger version of the first Doctor. That way they are quite free to build the character up without treading on the toes of the show (which can still run as it is). IF they change the backstory of the show (as they did in the Peter Cushing movies where the Doctor was a Human etc etc) then it will spell the end of the TV show as we know it.

      Perhaps the BBC have a suprise in store for us for the 50 Anniversay…maybe the Doctor dies and the show ends…they sell the rights to Hollywood and then they completely ruin it.

      All in all, based on the information being leaked out (ask yourself why) at the moment…this can NEVER be a good thing for true DW fans.

    • booboo

      November 15th, 2011 - 4:27pm

      i would perhaps understand a “how it all began” movie

    • Dark Side of the Moon

      November 15th, 2011 - 5:01pm

      Yep, I actually quite like the idea….although if we leave it in the hands of Hollywood, we may end up with a Doctor who was born in New York and ended up with the power of regeneration after a nuclear accident whilst trying to stop the Russians bomb the US…then was banished to NASAs secret space outpost called Galifrey because he knew too much. They’ll probably cast Edward Norton as the Doctor and Robert De-Niro as the Master…with Jessica Alba as the love interest.

      Can’t wait for this story to be offically confirmed or denied becuased its driving me nuts 🙂

    • Commander Strax

      November 15th, 2011 - 5:27pm

      matt smith said he might end in 2013

      P.S I sorry this is’nt about the movie but me and a friend fought of a new game in the features section. The name that was fought up was “cybermat catch”.Its based on season 6,and the instuctions are:You are the 11th doctor[green coat,but this can be changed because of the episodes]you have a net and you travel though time and space to capture the cybermats.The places are like mazes to get them.every place there is a sonic.get one and you disable one of the cybermats.press the up,left,right[moving]and the down[swooping net].the levels are:lake silento,pirate ship,the tardis,flesh factory,demons run,hitlers room,red waterfall room,doll house,hotel,and area 51.
      PLEASE READ BOOBOO.i dont mind if you do do it .you can change it 😉

    • DWFAN#1

      November 16th, 2011 - 3:30pm

      I agree with ‘Dark Side of the Moon’ that it might be a bit OTT if it goes to Holly Wood…….. big explosions and stunts etc……… If it doesn’t change much it will probably be fine tho!

    • Mr Evil Fez

      September 15th, 2012 - 12:05pm

      Booboo can you reply to my game idea.

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