RSC Hamlet on the Small-Screen

The Royal Shakespere Company production of Hamlet from 2008 is to be made into a film for BBC2. The entire cast of the stage-play, inlcuding David Tennant, will be reunited for the television production. Gregory Doran who staged the RSC stage-play will direct the programme on location.

The BBC2 Hamlet will be aired on television and are then planned to be released on DVD. Foreign distributers might decide to buy the right to it, as Doctor Who is also very popular in the US. The channel's controller Janice Hadlow commented, "it's a wonderful opportunity to bring one of the great stage successes of last year to a wider audience".

Did you watch this play when it was staged in 2008? Will you watch the BBC2 adaption?

Please comment.

Torchwood: Children of Earth - Extended Trailer

An epic, brand new trailer for Torchwood: Children of Earth has been released today which is also being shown on the channel BBC America in the US...

In other Torchwood news, the start date for Children of Earth is highly expected to be Monday 22nd June 2009. Bear in mind, this is not confirmed so don't rely on that completely.

What do you think of this trailer? Are you excited about Torchwood Series 3?

Please comment.

Series Five Companion!

We Doctor Who fans have complained about little news in 2009, but this week we appear to be getting tons of it! What has to be the best news this week has been released today - yes, as you know from the title of the post, the brand new Doctor Who companion for Series 5 in 2010 has been announced!

The lucky actress is 21-year-old Karen Gillan, who has in fact been in the show before. Karen played a mysterious soothsayer in the Series 4 episode 'The Fires of Pompeii'. She has also starred in Harley Street, Coming Up, the Kevin Bishop Show, Stacked, New Town Killers and is currently filming Outcast.Karen said, "The show is such a massive phenomenon that I can't quite believe I am going to be a part of it", and added, "Matt Smith is an incredible actor and it is going to be so much fun to act alongside him - I just can't wait to get started."Steven Moffat, the Executive Producer and Head Writer for Series 5, commented that: "We saw some amazing actresses for this part, but when Karen came through the door the game was up. Funny, and clever, and gorgeous, and sexy. Or Scottish, which is the quick way of saying it. A generation of little girls will want to be her. And a generation of little boys will want them to be her too."

I wish Karen all the best of luck in her role!

I suppose now all we need to know the companion's name? But either way... this is so exciting!

Do you think Karen Gillan is a good choice? How excited are you about seeing her as a companion?

Please comment.

Dreamland - Animated Series

A second animated episode of Doctor Who has been confirmed, the episode is titled 'Dreamland'. The website Den of Geek had the story this week...

"Debuting in 'Autumn,' a new animated Doctor Who story, entitled Dreamland, will be hitting the small screen through the BBC's red button service and Children's BBC. There will be seven episodes comprising of approximately six minutes. Viewers may remember The Infinite Quest"

"Starring as The Doctor is David Tennant and he will be joined by: Georgia Moffett though she is not playing Jenny, her character is called Cassie Rice; the voice of Bernice Summerfield, Lisa Bowerman (Survival); and the legendary David Warner (Tron, Time Bandits). Warner is also no stranger to Doctor Who having played the Time Lord himself in a 2003 audio play."

"In this month's Doctor Who Magazine, RTD hints that a third special project might be on the way (DT's appearance in SJA being the first), he says: '... it would be nice to round things off with a Special Project 3... I can promise, it's worth waiting for!'"

Can't wait for that!

What do you think about a new animated episode? What are your ideas on what the "third special project" could be?

Please comment.

Movie Script in Development

Lizo Mzimba, the BBC News Entertainment reporter and big Who fan, has 'tweeted' on his Twitter page that it has now been officially confirmed by BBC Films that a Doctor Who movie script is in development!

"BBC Films have confirmed a Dr Who film script is in development. But IF it does go into full production that's likely to be some time away."

"So, to be clear, it's not guaranteed a Dr Who movie will be made. All BBC Films are doing is developing a script, before making a decision."

"Development - things like commissioning a script, exploring casting, seeing if financially it's possible to go ahead."

So, everybody really should remember that a Doctor Who movie is not guaranteed and when it is it will still have some time to go until we'll see it or it will be filmed; just in case we get our hopes up too much.

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The Sun (everyone must know by now not to believe 95% of the things they come out with) ran an 'article' on Russell T Davies going to America to plan the Who movie, get ready for some completely assumed and not confirmed statments written as though fact...

"Doctor Who boss Russell T Davies is heading to Hollywood, fuelling fresh rumours of a movie spin-off.
     Russell, who is behind the show’s hit rebirth, is refusing to reveal why he is heading Stateside.
But insiders claim he is hoping to crack the film market — with a Doctor Who movie his first project.
     His agent listed the movie as part of Russ’s credits on his web profile, but took it down after net geeks rumbled it.
     A source said: 'He is secretive about Doctor Who. Let's hope the rumours are right.'”

Russell has actually just gone to America (not Hollywood) with Jane Tranter and Julie Gardner (both of whom are just finding a place to live after being hired in jobs for BBC America).

Russell is not in fact "refusing" to reveal why he is there, he has not even been interviewed on the matter.

See the third paragraph: "geeks"? As I recall, they were Doctor Who fans!

What do you think of a Doctor Who movie? Are you excited or not?

Please comment.

Doctor Who Magazine #409 - Cover & Details

The cover of the upcoming issue #409 of Doctor Who Magazine has been released on the official DWM Facebook page along with the information (see below image) of what to find inside...

• Unlucky Thirteen? - A Time Lord can only regenerate 12 times and then he must die... Or must he? Jonathan Morris investigates the truth behind the miracle of the Time Lord, and asks: could the Doctor survive beyond his Thirteenth Incarnation?

• The End of Ten! - Euros Lyn, director of the forthcoming Torchwood: Children of Earth, as he oversees this year’s Doctor Who Christmas Specials, the final story for the Tenth Doctor!

• Three’s a Crowd! - The Fact of Fiction takes an in-depth look back at the extraordinary adventure in which the Doctor met himself for the first time – 1972/73’s The Three Doctors!

• David Bowie is (nearly) the Doctor! - What do Jonathan Creek, Ford Prefect and Richard O’Brien have in common? Find out, as Neil Harris considers 10 characters who are the Doctor all but name in You Are Not Alone!

• The final end? - Russell T Davies reveals the behind-the-scenes changes as Doctor Who looks forward to the Eleventh Doctor’s first series in Production Notes.

• Segonax’s got talent! - Roll up! Roll up! See how the Time Team react to the weird events in the Seventh Doctor adventure The Greatest Show in the Galaxy!

• Hai! - The Watcher reverses the polarity, rolls up his frilly sleeves and tells you everything you need to know about the Doctor’s dashing and dynamic Third Incarnation in his latest essential guide!

• 60s chick! - Anneke Wills, who played companion Polly to the First and Second Doctors, chats candidly to DWM about outdoor baths, the swinging 60s... and meeting David Tennant on the Doctor Who set!

• Ten in trouble! - Majenta has a shock in store for the Doctor in Part Two of new comic strip The Age of Ice, by Dan McDaid with art by Martin Geraghty.

• Good dog! - It’s finally happening! DWM takes a first look at the new spin-off series featuring the Doctor’s second-best friend, K9!

Doctor Who Magzine #409 is on sale now in WHSmith's and other good newsagents and shops for £3.99.

What do you think of the cover and info?

Please comment.

The Doctor in Sarah Jane Adventures

The brand new issue #409 of Doctor Who Magazine has exciting news that David Tennant as the Tenth Doctor will star in 2 episodes of Series 3 of The Sarah Jane Adventures, starting some time in September this year.

Russell T Davies wanted to stress that The Doctor's role in the story is "more than just a cameo" and, "He's a proper part of the story." Russell also described the 2-episode story as "extraordinary", "wild" and "powerfully moving". He added: "Let's just say that the wedding of Sarah Jane will be a day for everyone to remember!"

In various forums it has even been speculated that it could be Sarah Jane getting married to The Doctor! However, my theory is that the "Sarah Jane" as Russell said "the wedding of Sarah Jane" actually might refer to the programme, not the character. In which case I think the wedding could be Maria Jackson's mum's wedding with her fiance, Ivan, because that was mentioned several times in Series 2.

I've photoshopped up a fan-made picture of The Doctor, Sarah Jane, Clyde Langer, Rani Chandra and Luke Smith outside Sarah Jane's house, 13 Bannerman Road.

Please do not use or steal this picture, as I made it all myself.

The Doctor with SJA gang >>>

What do you think of this news? What of my theory about the story?

Please comment.

Tonight's the Night - Special TARDIS Scene

John Barrowman's saturday night show Tonight's The Night featured a scene inside the TARDIS, specially written by Russell T Davies and filmed by Alice Troughton (who has directed more than one episode for each Doctor Who, Torchwood and Sarah Jane Adventures).

A competition was run which saw entrants create and dress-up as their own alien villains. The winner was long-time Doctor Who fan Tim Ingham who stars in the scene where his evil blue-faced villain, Sao Til, meets face-to-face with Captain Jack Harkness played by John Barrowman; with an extra surprise twist!



What do you think of this special scene? Did you watch it when it originally aired?

Please comment.

Their Final Meeting...

Filming photos have been circulating of what appears to be The Tenth Doctor visiting some of his past companions before he regenerates once again. I posted about scenes being filmed in the final episode of 2009 including Wilf (who is that episode’s one-off companion), Donna and Sylvia Noble.

Scenes have also been filmed inside a bar in Cardiff (where Captain John Hart went in the Torchwood episode ‘Kiss Kiss Bang Bang’) rumoured to feature Captain Jack and Alonso Frame, who was last seen as a midshipman aboard the Starship Titanic in ‘Voyage of the Damned’. Another scene was photographed set outside Sarah Jane Smith’s house on Bannerman Road with Sarah Jane and Luke. 

Now, it's Rose and Jackie Tyler's turn. The street they filmed on was covered in fake snow, with more falling over them. The Doctor obviously cannot visit Rose in 'present day' and so goes back in time before they met. This is also apparent because both Rose (Billie Piper) and Jackie (Camille Coduri) are wearing 'chavier' clothes than they do in the parallel world, and mega-Who-geeks (like myself, lol) may have noticed that Rose is wearing the same scarf that she did in Series One's 'Boom Town' as more confirmation of the time.

For spoiler reasons I've put the photos of filming in links instead of straight onto the post, which can be viewed below.

The Doctor: 1, 2 - Billie Piper - Billie & Camille: 1, 2 - David & Billie: 1, 2.

While the cameras were rolling, some lines were overheard, going along the lines of...

Rose: You alright, mate?
The Doctor: What year is it?
Rose: 2005.
The Doctor: You know what? I bet you’re going to have a really great year.

After that Rose presumably walks away, unbeknown that she would later bump into the same stranger in the basement of Henriks being chased by shop window dummies...

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Speaking of familiar faces, Ood Sigma is back! This time around he only has one scene, but he isn't on the Ood-Sphere, he's in London. A similar-looking scene features in the upcoming second 2009 special 'The Waters of Mars', as that also includes The Doctor, Ood Sigma and a street full of snow. he also spoke the words to The Doctor in 'Planet of the Ood', "I think your song must end soon."

For that reason, there has been some speculation as to whether Ood Sigma could be a character a little like The Watcher from the end of Tom Baker's era (for those of you who don't know, The Watcher was glimpsed several times before the Fourth Doctor regenerated into the Fifth Doctor as a sort of sign).

The Doctor on the ground and Ood Sigma pic >>>

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What do you think of the filming pics? Do you agree with the speculations and theories?
Please comment.

Top of the Polls!

Doctor Who has been voted the very greatest sci-fi show ever by American magazine Wizard!

The magazine placed the programme ahead of such high-budget American shows like Star Trek and Buffy the Vampire Slayer and described it as, "most durable, most charming, most altogether fun excursion into the unknown on the dial to date."

What's your opinion on this?

Please comment.

Eve Myles Expecting!

The actress who plays Gwen Cooper, Eve Myles, in Torchwood has announced that she is now pregnant! Eve says, "I've wanted to do this for such a long time, but I kept getting job after job after job"

"I thought, if I put this off any more I'm going to be 65. My partner and I decided this year was going to be the year, and we were blessed that it happened so quickly. It's the best thing that ever happened to me – we're over the moon."

Eve is three and a half months pregnant at the moment and joked about the fact that Gwen was pregnant with an alien Nostrovite in Torchwood: "We went for a scan and my mum was there,and my mum went, 'No, it's not a Nostrovite! It's a real Welsh human!' But of course it crosses my mind – I hope it's not an alien!"

Myles said this new aspect of her life will not stop her playing Gwen Cooper, "I hope we get a new series," she said. "I'd really like to play Gwen as a mother. It's not like I have to really save the world – I just have to sit in make-up!"

I'd just like to take this chance to congratulate Gwen and her partner for their upcoming baby!

Please comment.