When the BBC partnered with Disney+, the intention was to bring Doctor Who to a bigger audience than ever before. In exchange for the show's streaming rights, the House of Mouse gave the long-running sci-fi series a cash injection, which saw it receive a big budget overhaul.
Unfortunately, even with better effects and bigger-name guest stars, Doctor Who hasn't proven to be a ratings hit either on television ot streaming. Reviews have been mixed, while fans haven't embraced many of returning showrunner Russell T Davies' ideas for the Time Lord.
As rumours swirl about what lies ahead for Doctor Who, scooper @MyTimeToShineH brings word that, "Netflix and HBO Max are both in talks to buy the streaming rights for [the series]."
This comes after it was recently reported that the BBC is currently in advanced talks with a potential new partner following the collapse of the Disney+ deal. It was said that at least one of these unnamed partners wants greater creative control and for the series to "take itself more seriously."
In doing so, it would shift its focus to an older teenage audience, not the under-12 demographic. Davies, however, strongly opposes the idea and wishes to continue the same fun, campy, child/family-friendly tone that he sees as the key to Doctor Who's decades-long success.
While the BBC is backing Davies' vision for Doctor Who (he reportedly wants to stick around for at least three more seasons), the broadcaster needs a major financial partner and could ultimately be swayed by them pushing for new creatives to get involved. Davies is protective of who works on the show, but may find himself with less creative control on that front.
Ncuti Gatwa has left the show after two seasons, and season 3 still hasn't been announced, despite a cliffhanger ending that saw the Time Lord regenerate into Billie Piper. With Netflix and HBO Max in the mix, it feels like another reboot could be imminent.
"We don't know what’s happening yet, and while everyone works that out, I’ll take a pause on this page," Davies wrote in the latest issue of Doctor Who Magazine. "Hopefully, we’ll have news soon."
"'Doctor Who' will never end!" Davies added. "There are pathways leading to potential futures — we've still got the mystery of that bright and blazing ending, 'Oh, hello,' yes indeed, hello Billie!"
The expectation is that Doctor Who will continue in some form, either with a lower budget or a new partner. Either way, most expect Davies to move on as it feels like the series is in desperate need of a creative overhaul and a fresh start. Stay tuned for updates.