The Whoniverse is expanding—and bringing back some very familiar faces in doing so.
It was announced at Doctor Who San Diego Comic-Con panel that a new spinoff, The War Between the Land and the Sea, is coming to Disney+ (where available, and BBC One and BBC iPlayer in the U.K.). Leading the five-part series are Russell Tovey (who previously played Alonso Frame in “The Voyage of the Damned” and “The End of Time: Part Two” from David Tennant‘s Tenth Doctor’s time) and Gugu Mbatha-Raw (who recurred as Tish Jones, the sister of Freema Agyeman‘s Martha, in Season 3—the second Season 3, that is). However, they will not be playing those characters.
“This is not Midshipman Frame teaming up with Tish Jones, which I would write actually, why not? Big Finish can do that,” Doctor Who showrunner and executive producer Russell T Davies said during the panel. It won’t be the first time that actors played multiple characters on the sci-fi series.
Also returning are Jemma Redgrave and Alexander Devrient, reprising their roles as Kate Lethbridge-Stewart and Colonel Ibrahim, both last seen in the Doctor Who Season 1 finale.
In The War Between the Land and the Sea, “when a fearsome and ancient species emerges from the ocean, dramatically revealing themselves to humanity, an international crisis is triggered. With the entire population at risk, UNIT steps into action as the land and sea wage war.” The series will feature the triumphant return of the Sea Devils, classic Doctor Who villains first seen in 1972 and last seen in the 2022 special Legend of the Sea Devils (with Jodie Whittaker‘s Thirteenth Doctor). Filming begins across the world in August.
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Davies created the series and wrote the spinoff with Pete McTighe. It will be directed by Dylan Holmes-Williams.
“I’m so lucky to work with such a magnificent cast,” said Davies. “And this is a huge, muscular, thrilling drama which will shake The Whoniverse to its foundations. When the Doctor’s not in town, the whole of humanity is in trouble.“
The War Between the Land and the Sea is produced by Bad Wolf, with BBC Studios for Disney Branded Television and BBC. Joining Davies as executive producers are Phil Collinson, Joel Collins, Julie Gardner, and Jane Tranter.
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