Breaking: Disney’s Exit Won’t Stop ‘Doctor Who

Doctor Who’s Future Revealed

Doctor Who’s shift to Disney+ in the U.S. and other parts of the world, as well as its consolidation on BBC’s iPlayer in the UK and Ireland, means more eyeballs than ever have convenient access to the long-running sci-fi series—but that hasn’t exactly translated to blockbuster ratings. Current showrunner Russell T Davies said last June that he wasn’t overly worried about that fact, especially since Ncuti Gatwa’s Fifteenth Doctor has caught so well with younger fans.

In Davies’ column in the latest issue of Doctor Who Magazine (via Den of Geek), he looks back at what he calls “quite a run,” meaning his return to the helm of Doctor Who in 2023 after spearheading its initial revival from 2005-2010. That includes “the first order of three Specials, two seasons of Doctor Who, and a five-episode spin-off, 26 episodes in total. Shooting them felt like forever; it felt like 10 seconds.” That has a ring of finality to it, doesn’t it?

While the piece conveys his deep love of working on the series both in the past and present (even as he admits “I’ve sat in Doctor Who FX meetings for 20 years now, and I still have no idea what the FX people are talking about”), and he teases team Doctor Who’s excitement about season two, there’s notably no mention of what may come next. Instead, the column talks about how quiet it is at the studio when Doctor Who’s not in production (“now, the TARDIS sits in shadow”), and there’s no mention of a “second order,” which would presumably include more seasons of the show as well as the creation of a Christmas special for 2025.

Davies doesn’t address ratings in his piece, but it’s hard not to wonder if the powers that be are waiting to see how Gatwa’s second season fares before sinking more money into future installments. In November 2023, after “The Star Beast”—the first 60th anniversary special spanning Jodie Whittaker and Ncuti Gatwa’s tenures on the show, with David “The Fourteenth Doctor” Tennant returning for a brief arc—premiered, ratings were strong but nowhere near the series’ highest point. Disney’s involvement helped the show bring its production values up to date, which means Doctor Who is now a much bigger-budget show than it has been in the past.

Davies signs off with an optimistic “Doctor Who is forever, and the future is bright!”—although what that means in practical application we don’t yet know. Fingers crossed the new season, which arrives later this year, will bring enough success that Doctor Who can continue on in its current form.

Fan Engagement

The show’s reunion with fans has been a highlight, with many fans expressing their enthusiasm and appreciation for the series.

The reunion has also led to increased fan engagement on social media, with fans discussing their favorite episodes and characters.

Practical Aspects

The show’s reunion with Disney+ and its consolidation on BBC’s iPlayer has led to increased accessibility and exposure for the series.

The show’s bigger budget and production values have also improved its overall quality and appeal.

Other TV Shows and Movie News

John Wick Spinoff Caine: Rina Sawayama will reprise her role as Akira in the John Wick spinoff movie, Caine.

The Boys: Eric Kripke confirmed that the final season of The Boys will feature a Supernatural reunion between Jensen Ackles, Jared Padalecki, and Misha Collins.

Superman: Sean Gunn confirmed that he is “kinda” in the new Superman movie, possibly playing Maxwell Lord.

Caine, The Toxic Avenger, and Eyes of the Abyss

According to Variety, Rina Sawayama will indeed reprise her role as Akira in the John Wick spinoff movie, Caine.

Bloody-Disgusting reports The Toxic Avenger will indeed be released in theaters unrated this August 29 and contains “ultra violent/toxic content, piss play, mutant nudity, hilarious harm and gnarly theater fun.”

Bloody-Disgusting also has word the supernatural rock climbing movie, The Sound, will release both theatrically and on VOD this June 27.

A soldier in the South Atlantic finds herself aboard a haunted warship in the trailer for Eyes of the Abyss, an Argentinian horror-thriller coming to the Cannes Market later this month.

The Doctor Visits Nigeria

There is one word in the English language that, when repeated three times in a row, instantly conjures up something magical. It might be weird, and a little bit scary at times, but saying those words out loud guarantees a raucous adventure.

They are, of course: “Zoom Zoom Zoom.”

Disney Channel’s Zenon: Girl of the 21st Century is celebrating its 20th anniversary today.

Loosely based on the children’s book series by Marilyn Sadler, the Disney Channel Original Movie stars Kirsten Storms as Zenon, a teenage girl from the year 2049 who’s spent most of her life on a research station in space.

After uncovering a dangerous plot by the space station’s owner, she’s literally “grounded” and sent to live with her aunt on Earth.

There, she learns about cute boys, ponies, and onion rings. Oh, and how the privatization of space programs will lead to nothing but disaster and death.

Zenon’s Proto Zoa

According to Rhys, Proto Zoa was just one in a number of musicians he’d played that year, saying that when you’re “in your 20’s and you have an English accent, you get kind of typecast.”

Of course, Proto Zoa wasn’t just any rock star, he was a space rock star from the future, with spiky bleached hair.

Rhys said the biggest hurdle in playing Proto Zoa was the final song and dance number, to the now-infamous “Zoom Zoom Zoom.”

The original dance, orchestrated by Michael Jackson’s choreographer, was a fun and complex rock star romp.

But Rhys…couldn’t quite get a handle on it.

“There I was on stage, in costume, with my band Microbe, and they played the song. And crikey, I was just abysmal. You should’ve seen their faces. Their jaws dropped,” Rhys said.

“They didn’t ask if I could dance, they just assumed I had some sort of rhythm. And I was absolutely atrocious.”