Doctor Who - The Movie?

[Blowfeld]

Various sources in the British media are today reporting fresh speculation about a potential Doctor Who feature film. A report in The Sun newspaper has suggested that series star David Tennant is negotiating with the BBC about starring in series five of Doctor Who in 2010, with the proviso that a feature film version of the series comes as part of the deal.

The Sun's report quotes a "show source" as saying: "For ages, BBC Worldwide held the rights and were planning to make a movie, but it got held up and former BBC1 boss Lorraine Heggessey decided to bring back the TV series in 2005. But everyone is keen now and the fans are clamouring. Part of David’s conundrum is that he wants to do films, so this looks like it would solve both issues."

The story has also been picked up by The Daily Telegraph, Metro, What's On TV and TeleText, amongst many others.

[Kristatos]

I'll believe it when I hear it from the BBC. I'd like it to be true, though.

[FormerBondFan]

Perhaps Brosnan should be in it.

[Kristatos]

Perhaps Brosnan should be in it.

I think that would rather depend on whether he was willing to do it for what the BBC would pay him.

[Blowfeld]

I'll believe it when I hear it from the BBC. I'd like it to be true, though.

I would be happy as a lark if David stayed for series 5. The movie deal would be a unexpected bonus.
The movie deal has been talked about for so long it will be an act of the gods when it finally does happen.
I would not be adverse to a Doctor Who movie series about the Time War staring Paul McGann, if not then anything in the cinemas with David as the Doctor will do fine.

[Blowfeld]

Perhaps Brosnan should be in it.

I think that would rather depend on whether he was willing to do it for what the BBC would pay him.

Not necessarily. Plenty of stars practically volunteer their services if they are fans.
I would not expect a Doctor Who move to be big budget, doubtful many big name actors could be bothered to make cameo or try out for small roles.
Then again they could be role perfect for Pierce, The Minister of Chance maybe. (A Time Lord from Death Comes to Time)

[FormerBondFan]

Perhaps Brosnan should be in it.

I think that would rather depend on whether he was willing to do it for what the BBC would pay him.

Not necessarily. Plenty of stars practically volunteer their services if they are fans.
I would not expect a Doctor Who move to be big budget, doubtful many big name actors could be bothered to make cameo or try out for small roles.
Then again they could be role perfect for Pierce, The Minister of Chance maybe. (A Time Lord from Death Comes to Time)

Pierce is quite a big fan himself.

[carl stromberg]

I never got round to watching the Paul McGann Dr Who. I'll have to track it down.

Is he coming back as the sole Dr in one of the specials? Or is he just making a guest appearance?

I'm surprised no-one is making a Dr Who film. David Tennant is popular - lots of people bought tickets for his Hamlet because he is in it.

[Kristatos]

I never got round to watching the Paul McGann Dr Who.

You didn't miss much.

I'll have to track it down.

Trust me, you won't.

[carl stromberg]

I never got round to watching the Paul McGann Dr Who.

You didn't miss much.

I'll have to track it down.

Trust me, you won't.

Are you not a fan of McGann?

[Blowfeld]

I never got round to watching the Paul McGann Dr Who.

You didn't miss much.

I'll have to track it down.

Trust me, you won't.

Are you not a fan of McGann?

I thought Paul McGann was inspired casting. One of the best since Tom Baker, don't get me wrong Davidson is good and I would have a higher opinion of his era is had stayed a little bit longer.

I do wish RTD had cast Paul instead of Christopher Eccleston when he started the new series. In my option Paul could have portrayed a very compelling, damaged, time war survivor, Doctor.
Christopher was not a very inspired choice in my opinion and just as he began to get an idea of what the Doctor was supposed to be, he left in very short order. Christopher is the same regardless of what role he is cast in. His role in Heroes is the same surly, rude one he used for the Doctor.

The TV movie was a decent reintroduction after the shameful shelving of the series. Amazingly for an American production it kept a lot of the classic who fundamentals. In fact you can see a lot of the TV Movie and seasons 24,25,26 in the new series.

I wouldn't necessarily recommend purchasing the DVD, though giving it a go once can't go wrong.

Good Things about the TV Movie:
Sylvester McCoy out of the godawful JTN era costume.
The TARDIS interior
The TARDIS controls
Paul McGann
The Daleks executing the Master
Return of the Sonic Screwdriver
McGann's voice over and his description of Gallifrey



Bad Things about the TV Movie:
Eric Roberts
Daphne Ashbrook
The story was only so-so. Never intended to be a one off
The Doctor dying for no real reason
The TARDIS sucking Earth into the Eye of Harmony
Repairing the TARDIS with Earth technology (though their is precedence for this in the Key to Time series, The Armageddon Factor, Drax )

Good and Bad Paul ushered in a new era of Doctor Who reinvigorating the franchise until the new series in 2005. Paul's Big Finish stories and radio programmes are quite good.

The rumour of McGann retuning would have a lot of fan as excited as if Pierce got his fifth movie or if George Lazenby had returned for something.
Personally I'd prefer a Time War series staring Paul.
With all the Who spin off I've wondered why a Missing Adventures series has yet to be considered.

[Kristatos]

Are you not a fan of McGann?

McGann was fine, but the movie itself wasn't very good. It started out well, but descended into a generic chase movie with a ticking-clock climax that you've seen a thousand times before.

[Blowfeld]

Are you not a fan of McGann?

McGann was fine, but the movie itself wasn't very good. It started out well, but descended into a generic chase movie with a ticking-clock climax that you've seen a thousand times before.

McGann was better then the story they had.

His audio dramas by Big Finish are quite good. As the writers customised the Doctor to his personality he really began to enjoy being the Doctor.

Unfortunately the whopping majority of BBC Eight Doctor Adventures books were generalised off Paul's performance in the TV Movie. While it was a good performance it was not good enough to give the writers the complete concept of who the Eighth Doctor was. I thought the BBC books reused concepts from the TV movie too often. They did not get any real meat to work with until after Paul's audio dramas came out.