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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

  • videogamemad00

    November 15th, 2011 - 3:34pm

    this was just on newsround

    Reply
    • year2class3legofan’s

      November 15th, 2011 - 7:00pm

      ME AND MY BROTHER SAW IT HES SOMEWHERE ON THIS SITE

  • boo senior

    November 15th, 2011 - 7:38am

    wow, will totally go and seee this.

    p.s i just won a custom amy figure from time of angels on ebay

    Reply
    • booboo

      November 15th, 2011 - 7:50am

      Don’t get to excited, according to many it will never happen or is just a blown out of proportion rumour at the moment even though its splashed over every newspaper now

    • Dark Side of the Moon

      November 15th, 2011 - 11:35am

      Not sure why anyone would want to see a movie that will bear no relevance or similarity to the series. According the the ‘interview’ the guy said he is going to start from scratch and completely change it for the big screen…

      If its splashed accross every newspaper now, then that conformation its rubbish – the only thing that is factual about British newspaper is the price.

    • booboo

      November 15th, 2011 - 11:39am

      not just newspapers, BBC news, Radio Times, ITV, channel 4 etc etc etc.

    • Dark Side of the Moon

      November 15th, 2011 - 12:10pm

      Well…all I can say is if its true (and not just a PR ploy by the BBC to maintain interest in the show until the Xmas special) is that I really hope it falls through. This sounds like the big Hollywood sell out that have been in and out the rumour mills since the show restarted in 2005 – this would destroy the TV show and I have no intertest in watch something that is only DW in name….different actors, different backstory, different premis…why?

      That said, I’d be against a Movie version of the TV show too – movie adaptations never work – just look at X files. I can only think that someone in the BBC who is not a DW fan is looking to make the corporation lots of money by selling the rights to its biggest asset. Fingers crossed this IS a rumour…or at the very most a conversation that has been blown out of proportion.

    • Anonymous

      November 15th, 2011 - 7:53pm

      A “Doctor Who movie” has been in the works since the early 90s, The Dark Dimension was one such method and failed miserably.

      Many names have been tied to Doctor WHo films but by the official sites own admittion this is only just discussions, there is no script, writers, producer or actors lined up and there is no guarenteed release either.

  • Mumble5557

    November 15th, 2011 - 6:53am

    AWSOME!!! I think it should be named “Doctor Who, The TV Movie 2” Thats if its a TV movie.

    Reply
    • year2class3legofan’s brother

      November 15th, 2011 - 4:21pm

      My Doctor Who Movie 2012 IS Coming Out Next Year
      Yayyyy

    • Commander Strax

      November 15th, 2011 - 5:30pm

      its coming out in 2013

    • booboo

      November 15th, 2011 - 5:36pm

      longer than that if it actually happens I would thing

    • doctorwho

      November 24th, 2011 - 9:50am

      The David Yates Movie Is Is My Bookmarks And It
      His 36 Parts And I Watched It And It Was Amazing!

  • doctorwhofan27

    November 15th, 2011 - 12:41am

    hope it’ll be good. the first 2 sucked. paul mcgann’s I haven’t seen but I think it was good. Why are they doing this? If it replaces the series, then it will ruin doctor who. It’s non-canon.

    Reply
  • Anonymous

    November 14th, 2011 - 11:14pm

    Official word from DWM, the director wants to make a movie, but nobody has yet to take him on and he hasn’t got permission from the BBC yet either.

    BBC News were just reporting on the rumours, not confirming it.

    Reply
    • booboo

      November 14th, 2011 - 11:19pm

      it say’s nothing about it being a rumour

      quote:

      A BBC spokesman said: “A Doctor Who feature film remains in development with BBC Worldwide Productions in Los Angeles. T

      “The project is unlikely to reach cinemas for several years and as yet there is no script, cast or production crew in place.”

      it say’s its in development fact, how else are people supposed to read it

    • Anonymous

      November 14th, 2011 - 11:21pm

      DWM have confirmed it as being a rumour, the BBC have had a movie “in development” since the 90s.

    • booboo

      November 14th, 2011 - 11:24pm

      irresponsible journalist’s by all parties then as people don’t know what to believe then, its just plain daft.

    • Anonymous

      November 14th, 2011 - 11:27pm

      It is, this is just them finding a director who wants to do it, but it doesn’t always work, remember The Dark Dimension? It failed miserably and had directors and producers and even actors.

      There are no writers, producers, actors or even permission given to use certain aspects of the show.

    • booboo

      November 14th, 2011 - 11:31pm

      then it should not have been reported in the way it has, especially by BBC news, i have heard from several people who read it on there and as it comes form the BBC news they presume it is fact, why on earth wouldn’t they.

    • Ray

      November 15th, 2011 - 12:03am

      This is just like when the 14 episodes were announced total confusion by bad premature reporting, if it aint true BBC news should not jump on the band wagon, even lizo twitted “Doctor Who big screen movie” any person reading that would assume this is defiantly going to happen, albeit not for a while.

    • Dark Side of the Moon

      November 15th, 2011 - 1:21am

      Rumour or not…don’t stress…it will never happen. These projects are pitched all the time…the only reson this is making the news is becuase DW is the BBC’s hottest property.

      If they do make this, it could result in killing off the the TV show….so lets hope it doesnt happen.

    • Dark Side of the Moon

      November 15th, 2011 - 1:25am

      By my last comment, I mean if its a franchise…that would kill off the TV series. If its a one off, then it will be forgotten (brushed under the canonicity rug like the Peter Cushing attempts). I dont see how this could be true…why take something that is more sucesful now tat its ever been…and completely change it? I’d nderstand that rationale if this was pitched back in the 80’s.

  • Judooning

    November 14th, 2011 - 10:51pm

    Like you said Booboo, I think it will just be a stand alone film. Which i would be fine with. But if it disrupts the official series or tries to rid of the series, then i don’t want it happen.

    Reply
  • dwfan101 (torchwoodfan101)

    November 14th, 2011 - 9:38pm

    I don’t think they should do it. I mean, the other 2 films in the 60s were RUBBISH 90s Cool.

    Reply
    • Hector Sandler

      November 15th, 2011 - 7:28am

      I agree with you. Why just leave as A TV series production only. I seen the Roy Cushing era who isn’t official Doctor. Like Barry Nelson wasn’t the official James Bond. I seen the 1996 with Paul Mcgann. He was O.K.

    • Anonymous

      November 25th, 2011 - 2:18pm

      Roy Cushing?????!!!!!! The mind boggles. And if I remember correctly Barry Nelson was as official a James Bond as anyone else who played him in fact he was in the first (TV) version of Casino Royale.

  • Anonymous

    November 14th, 2011 - 9:15pm

    Official word from the head of the Doctor Who brand:

    It’s just a rumour.

    Reply
    • booboo

      November 14th, 2011 - 9:19pm

      Its beyond me whey there is such an “almost definite” news article from variety if it has no substance as others are now saying

    • Anonymous

      November 14th, 2011 - 9:23pm

      If it was Steven Moffat or somethone similar then it would be understandable, but one of the Russell brothers saying it, it means that it’s not being covered up by anyone other than them so it could be just a rumour, or maybe he was discussing a proposal but it has not been officially recognised yet.

    • TARDIS

      November 14th, 2011 - 10:40pm

      bbc confirmed it

    • Anonymous

      November 14th, 2011 - 10:54pm

      Actually they haven’t, the news service has done an article on it but there has been no official statement from the BBC yet.

    • booboo

      November 14th, 2011 - 11:11pm

      casual people reading this on the BBC are going to assume its fact, done and dusted, there is nothing in that article that suggest this is a rumour to the lay person.

    • Anonymous

      November 14th, 2011 - 11:15pm

      Well DWM have confirmed that it is just a report on the rumour, not confirmation.

    • booboo

      November 14th, 2011 - 11:20pm

      since when do Doctor who Magazine talk for the BBC

    • Anonymous

      November 14th, 2011 - 11:23pm

      They have the official word from the BBC and know what is going on. The only truth in this is that the BBC have wanted a movie for years and have had it in development for years but let’s be honest it’s now been 20 years since they started trying and it has not taken off on any occassion.

      BBC News are seperate from the BBC and do not speak for them in any way.

    • booboo

      November 14th, 2011 - 11:26pm

      but the general public don’t know that, if there is no truth in it they should not report it simple as that

  • Anonymous

    November 14th, 2011 - 9:07pm

    At least they’ve said it’s “non-canon” now rather than causing upset when the casting announcements come out.

    Reply
  • MasterKasterborous

    November 14th, 2011 - 8:46pm

    I don’t want a ‘new approach’. I like the series how it is.

    Reply
    • Anonymous

      November 14th, 2011 - 9:01pm

      This isn’t the series though, it’s a film!!!!!!

  • Anonymous

    November 14th, 2011 - 8:41pm

    I would HATE it if there was a doctor who movie! Doctor Who should be on the little screen. It should be a series like it has been for years! If they got an american doctor then that would just ruin the show! I hope this isn’t true! Why wouldn’t Matt Smith not be able to play the Doctor anyway?!- if he hasn’t left…

    Reply
    • thedw11

      November 17th, 2011 - 4:49pm

      well he hope matt stays he migh not.
      :{

  • PrimevalMaster

    November 14th, 2011 - 8:36pm

    I really hope they keep to that current Doctor of that era, I really don’t want to see the same mistake happen again (not the 8th doctor)

    Reply
    • thedw11

      November 17th, 2011 - 4:44pm

      yes mabey keep the time war and the 8th doctor to imanashon

  • Ashley

    November 14th, 2011 - 8:31pm

    if they do make a Doctor Who movie they should make it about the 8th doctor because we don’t know much about him and please get Jonny Depp or Hugh jackman to play the doctor..and even if he directored Harry Potter it must not be anything like that scary movie yuck!

    Reply
    • Anonymous

      November 14th, 2011 - 11:19pm

      We want a british actor, if it was american it would ruin it as it’s not that kind of show.

  • Ashley

    November 14th, 2011 - 8:29pm

    I say if they do make a Doctor Who movie it would have to be about the 8th doctor cuz we don’t don’t much about him and get Jonny Depp to play the doc. And he may of directored Harry Potter,but it must be anything dark like that yucky movie..yuck!

    Reply
    • dwfan101 (torchwoodfan101)

      November 14th, 2011 - 9:30pm

      Why did u post this 2 times, just worded different?

    • booboo

      November 14th, 2011 - 9:32pm

      one was on moderation so they thought it hadn’t gone through probably

    • dwfan101 (torchwoodfan101)

      November 14th, 2011 - 9:39pm

      oh. that happens to me sorry Ashley.

  • Cyberdevil

    November 14th, 2011 - 8:22pm

    Watching in the cinima is not my cup of tea. Babies crying, popcorn muntching are extermely distrating. Again is this 100 % true? If so:

    1)Don’t give the doctor a gun
    2)Don’t get an american to play the doctor
    3)Don’t make it american
    4)Make sure it is in 3d please

    Reply
    • dwfan101 (torchwoodfan101)

      November 14th, 2011 - 9:32pm

      If u don’t want it at the cinema, how can u watch it in 3d? unless you’ve got a 3d tv. (first comment since 1st or 2nd november)

    • TARDIS

      November 14th, 2011 - 10:42pm

      i dont think babies will be allowed

    • dwfan101 (torchwoodfan101)

      November 15th, 2011 - 12:32pm

      True but how can you watch it 3d at home?

  • Doctor Who DVD Collector

    November 14th, 2011 - 8:19pm

    Good Doctor Who Titles Maybe?:

    Doctor Who: Return of the Daleks
    Doctor Who: The Silent Assassinators
    Doctor Who: The War of the Worlds

    Reply
    • booboo

      November 14th, 2011 - 8:21pm

      Doctor Who?

    • Biggest Doctor Who Fan Ever!

      November 14th, 2011 - 8:27pm

      ah yes!!! Briiliant!!!!

  • aarondrwhofan64

    November 14th, 2011 - 8:18pm

    WOW 😆 a dr who MOVIE !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    Reply
  • Flumbledryer

    November 14th, 2011 - 8:15pm

    NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOONONONONONONOOOOOOOOOOOOOONNNNNOOOOOOOOOOOOOONONONONONOOOOOOONONOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO HOW CAN THEY DO THIS!?!?

    Reply
  • KRYNOIDY

    November 14th, 2011 - 8:13pm

    Time War film please starring Paul Mcgann and Christopher Eccelston. Please no Hollywood influence; just keep it British please and the charm will come through!

    Reply
    • thedw11

      November 17th, 2011 - 4:32pm

      i don’t think Christopher Eccelston whants to star in any more doctor who 🙁

  • The Master

    November 14th, 2011 - 8:10pm

    if they go to make a movie, they need to do one on the time war so we can finally see what happened in the war and so we can finally see the regeneration from Paul Mcgann to Christopher Eccleston

    Reply
    • booboo

      November 14th, 2011 - 8:14pm

      dont thin k it will ever happen but i would love to see that

    • Jason doctorwhoone

      November 14th, 2011 - 8:16pm

      Chris wants no involvement in Doctor Who anymore, his made that perfectly clear on more then one occasion.

      Pity really, it would have been nice to see how the 8th regenerated into the 9th, and what else the 9th Doctor was doing before meeting Rose, cos we know he had some un-seen adventures before he met her, seeing the Kennedy Assassination for example.

    • booboo

      November 14th, 2011 - 8:18pm

      yes he has said on many occasions

    • Biggest Doctor Who Fan Ever!

      November 14th, 2011 - 8:24pm

      I think that BIG FINISH should do ‘The Time War’ for the 50th anniversery.

    • Anonymous

      November 14th, 2011 - 9:05pm

      Ending for film:
      Doc is weakened with injuries. Stumbles into Tardis. From the back of his head we see yellow light glowing around him. Fade to black…

    • The Silence

      November 15th, 2011 - 2:35pm

      BIG FINISH can’t do the Time War as they are only allowed ‘classic series’ Doctor Who stuff. The Time War was a creation of the new series.

  • Jason doctorwhoone

    November 14th, 2011 - 8:06pm

    If there is to be a Doctor Who film, surely the storyline should be about one thing and one thing only –

    THE LAST GREAT TIME WAR !!

    Atleast It would give Paul McGann a chance to reprise the 8th Doctor, and answer questions about the War like what exactly is the Cruciform the Master was resurrected to protect ? or what are the Deathsmiths of Goth said to used by the Daleks themselves ?. A film about the Time War would be preferable I reckon.

    Reply
  • matt smithy

    November 14th, 2011 - 8:03pm

    do you think it will be likie a time war movie or wil it not even have one of the actual doctors? i hope it does and not just a rubbish new one. I want paul mcgann!

    Reply
    • booboo

      November 14th, 2011 - 8:05pm

      I think this will be just stand alone

  • 5ybermen

    November 14th, 2011 - 8:02pm

    i have a bad feelin bout this, i dont think they can pull this movie off, not with american writers

    Reply
  • doctor daniel

    November 14th, 2011 - 7:59pm

    yyyyyyyeyeeeeeeeessssss!!!!!!! I’m happy please be a cenima like thing not tv but anyway yes!!!!

    Reply
  • crazy guy

    November 14th, 2011 - 7:58pm

    cant wait im defiently going to see this the first time it comes out although it is a shame we have to wait three years

    Reply
  • TARDIS

    November 14th, 2011 - 7:57pm

    tv movie or big screen

    Reply
    • thedw11

      November 17th, 2011 - 4:29pm

      big screen. it’s in the titel.

  • spaceBUZZlite

    November 14th, 2011 - 7:57pm

    Will Matt Smith be in it ?

    Reply
    • booboo

      November 14th, 2011 - 7:58pm

      looks like this is a stand alone film like the Dalek movies and wont have any connection to the series

  • TARDIS

    November 14th, 2011 - 7:56pm

    wooooooooooo hoooooooooooooooooo a movie a movie

    Reply
  • Helena

    November 14th, 2011 - 7:54pm

    I will cry if its rubbish 🙁

    Reply
    • DWFAN#1

      November 16th, 2011 - 3:59pm

      Me too.
      Well probably not LITERALLY cry, but it won’t be very pleased……….

  • owen

    November 14th, 2011 - 7:52pm

    WHAT A DOCTOR WHO MOVIE 😀

    Reply

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