With Ncuti Gatwa’s Doctor Who debut season behind him, new reports hint that the first major spin-off series, The War Between the Land and Sea, may be preparing to begin production soon. Before returning to his role as showrunner, Russell T Davies stated that he felt that the series could have the potential for numerous ongoing spin-offs alongside the main series. In 2023, the limited spin-off series titled Tales of the TARDIS was released on BBC iPlayer, reuniting past Doctors and companions to look back on fan-favorite stories for the 60th anniversary.
Now, Deadline reports that the Whoniverse is on the verge of expansion within the second half of 2024. According to the outlet’s sources, an untitled spin-off is gearing up to film in September 2024, as Bad Wolf Productions is set to resume work on the franchise. The spin-off is likely the previously reported Sea Devil-driven The War Between The Land and Sea project that has been rumored since December 2023.
What We Know About Doctor Who’s Potential New Spin-Offs
There Have Been Limited Details About The War Between The Land & Sea.
Davies’ discussions about the main show may hint at where the upcoming Doctor Who spin-off may be focusing on.
While Davies expressed turning Doctor Who into an expansive, multi-show franchise before he officially returned as showrunner, the writer has been preoccupied with the series’ 60th-anniversary and first season under the BBC and Disney’s production agreement to make significant progress on any spin-off. Even Tales of the TARDIS was the result of a last-minute idea where the showrunner made use of the Doctor Who season 14 finale’s Memory TARDIS set, becoming attached to the design and building the idea for the anniversary. However, Davies has revealed Bad Wolf has several offices working on potential spin-offs.
However, Davies’ discussions about the main show may hint at where the upcoming Doctor Who spin-off may be focusing on. In various behind-the-scenes interviews for season 14, Davies revealed that he hopes to make UNIT more of a mainstay in his second tenure compared to prior eras, aiming to expand the cast with new and recognizable characters. As such, while it is highly likely that The War Between The Land and Sea’s main cast will feature one or two existing characters to firmly ground it in the universe, the series could provide a new opportunity to introduce new UNIT characters.
Though it has its positives and shortcomings, Davies kicked off his new Doctor Who tenure with ambitions beyond just the main series. From multiple new characters occupying UNIT to hints at wider changes in the universe off-screen, the Whoniverse is at a perfect time to launch a new series that can branch into these new frontiers. With Doctor Who set to return to SDCC with a new panel titled “Into The Whoniverse” in the renowned Hall H venue, perhaps it won’t take long for an official reveal of the potential spin-off.