Doctor Who Movie??

Geekyfanboy · November 14, 2011, 12:46:22 PM

David Yates Finally Brings 'Doctor Who' To Big Screen
Could it be ready in time for the franchise's 50th anniversary?

by MICHAEL HINMAN, posted Nov-14-2011
Source: Variety

David Yates wants to take the Tardis for a test spin in a new 'Doctor Who' feature

What does Harry Potter and "Doctor Who" have in common? Besides being born and raised in Great Britain, the two franchises now have a new link: David Yates.

Yates, who most recently directed both parts of the finale "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows," told Variety that it will be he -- not Russell T. Davies or Steven Moffat -- bringing "Doctor Who" to movie theaters. And because of that, his version of the Time Lord and his Tardis will be much different from what fans have been watching on BBC.

Chances are, however, that movie theaters won't see the "Doctor Who" film in time for the franchise's 50th anniversary in 2013.

"We're looking at writers now," Yates said. "We're going to spend two to three years to get it right. It needs quite a radical transformation to take it into the bigger arena."

It's not that Yates doesn't respect what Davies and Moffat have done with the franchise. In fact, it is the efforts of those two showrunners to bring "Doctor Who" into the 21st century that he is using as a model to translate the concept onto the big screen.

"Russell T. Davies and then Steven Moffat have done their own transformations, which were fantastic," Yates said. "But we have to put that aside and start from scratch."

But who will write this movie? Yates said he is looking for British writers, but pointed out that Americans can bring English sensibility into their work. Just look at Harry Potter screenwriter Steve Kloves. Although Kloves has focused mainly on adaptations of J.K. Rowling's novels, he has crafted original screenplays as well, including next year's "The Amazing Spider-Man."

And Kloves might be available to work on the "Doctor Who" project if Yates decides to pick him up. Kloves most recently adapted a screenplay for the controversial live-action remake of "Akira," and has no announced projects after that, at least according to Internet Movie Database.

Creating a film version of a popular television franchise without paying attention to the source has become the latest craze in Hollywood. But will it work?

Bryan Singer is pushing his "Battlestar Galactica" project forward, which is tied more to the 1970s series than the critically acclaimed 2003 version that aired on Syfy. Dean Devlin has more than once broached the idea of following up his 1994 film "Stargate," planning to ignore the television franchise that spawned three series in the process.

There are still some concerns about how these film projects will succeed without confusing audiences familiar with stories that were told in recent memory.

The "Doctor Who" film could have some additional issues: It's likely that by the time Yates finishes his film and releases it, the television series will still be on the air. At least for Singer and Devlin, there are no current television shows creating episodes of their respective franchises, especially now that it appears the "Battlestar Galactica" prequel "Blood & Chrome" will likely never make it to television.

Yates got his break in the late 1980s and early 1990s filming shorts, before making his way into British television with shows like "The Bill" and miniseries that included "The Sins" and "The Way We Live Now."

"Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix" was his first feature film project in 2007, and he went on to direct "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince," "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 1" and "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2." He is currently working on "St. Nazaire," a film dramatizing the raid of that French hamlet in 1942.

"Doctor Who" has been an iconic piece of British entertainment history since its debut in 1963. Although it went off the air in the late 1980s, BBC did work with the Fox network in the United States to try and revive the show (unsuccessfully) in 1996.

Davies, who made his fame through shows like "Queer as Folk," resurrected the series in 2005 with Christopher Eccleston and Billie Piper, turning the show back into a smash success. Eccleston was replaced with David Tennant in the second season. He would later step aside for Matt Smith, the current Doctor, who stars with Karen Gillan and Arthur Darvill.

Believe it or not, this wouldn't be the first time "Doctor Who" has made it to the big screen. And those past attempts are not considered a part of the television canon either.

"Doctor Who and the Daleks" premiered in 1965, followed by "Doctor Who: Daleks' Invasion Earth 2150 A.D." in 1966. Both starred Peter Cushing as an American version of The Doctor. He would later gain fame as Gran Moff Tarkin in "Star Wars: A New Hope." He died in 1994.

Geekyfanboy · November 14, 2011, 12:51:10 PM

Have to say that I'm not a fan of this idea.. but interested in seeing what they come up with.

ChrisMC · November 14, 2011, 01:03:14 PM

I'm not sure I''m up for a Doctor Who reboot...I just got into the damn show this year! Though I suppose a fresh start could mean lots of Gallifrey stuff, etc. I don't know. It's so early, it might not even happen.

Dangelus · November 14, 2011, 01:10:26 PM

I can imagine the "colourful metaphors" being uttered by Meds right now! :roflmao

Geekyfanboy · November 14, 2011, 01:44:44 PM

Looks like BBC is squashing this rumor of the Doctor Who movie!

Dangelus · November 14, 2011, 01:52:58 PM

Quote from: Geekyfanboy on November 14, 2011, 01:44:44 PM
Looks like BBC is squashing this rumor of the Doctor Who movie!

Thank goodness! :)

Meds · November 14, 2011, 01:58:33 PM

If I could punch this screen I would. Ridiculous, stupid idea coming from the mouth of a man with no respect for the history of this show. "We have to put that aside and start from scratch" Never before have i heard such crap in my life.

I kept this in even though I have just read Kenny's comment about The BBC squashing the rumour. BBC hold rights for all Doctor Who tags (bar The Daleks hence why there has been two off canon films) and so if a film would be made it would be BBC film, look I'd love a film, but with the right attitude and the current Doctor.

Rico · November 14, 2011, 02:03:43 PM

I can understand some reservations, but keep in mind it's a very rare thing to take a TV show and turn it into a good movie - especially with the same actors. Typically they want to change - a lot! Star Trek is a unique exception to this as they did well with the original cast and then the TNG cast and now have even gone with an entirely new cast. It can be done. It's just very, very hard to pull off something that a wide audience wants to pay money to see in the theater.

Meds · November 14, 2011, 02:14:51 PM

BBC AMERICA
A Doctor Who feature film remains in development w/ BBC Worldwide Productions in LA. As of yet NO script, cast OR production crew in place.

The most important word in this statement is BBC and that means i feel calmer, but only just. Sorry my American friends but if a film is to be made I would like it to be done here in the UK with someone in charge like Moffat or RTD who understand the formula. If they don't think it can be done without bastardising it then leave it alone.

bevs_plaything · November 14, 2011, 02:27:57 PM

I will beleive it when it happens! lol!!! I am still waiting for the Red Dwarf and U.F.O movies! lol!

Rico · November 14, 2011, 04:25:53 PM

Well, they make plenty of "American" films in the UK. Maybe it's time we return the favor. ;)

Ktrek · November 14, 2011, 05:20:34 PM

I'm not sure Doctor Who has a wide enough appeal to make into a feature film. It's a little too cultic in my opinion. I would love to see one but I think it would be a financial disaster.

Kevin

Pyrovile · November 14, 2011, 06:32:01 PM

I'm not a fan of DW on the big screen either. I'm quite pleased to get 13 or so episodes per year on my TV vs one 2 hour move in a theater every 3 to 4 years at best.

Meds · November 14, 2011, 10:53:27 PM

Oh Rico, you tease. You'll say you'd like to see it in 3D next.

I'd love to see a film but as Kevin said its not 'world wide' popular to pull in the credits and that's what worries me when I read Yates say "start from scratch"

It's impossible to tell the Doctors story in 2 hours. Where he comes from, how old is he? Why is it a police box? What's so big about a 1963 blue box? He's not human, he has two hearts etc

I can see what would happen in Hollywood "hey buddy what's with this phone box? That's what Bill & Tedd did, how about we change it to a corn dog stand" or the classic scenario of " we can't not have a love story," oh I shudder.

Would I like a TV movie with American involvement. Yes I would as long as they remember not to go down the last Dr Who tv movie route. Moffat would have to be involved and it would have to be canon.

Feathers · November 15, 2011, 02:56:03 AM

Hmmm. Not really a fan of this idea. If someone wants to do something similar then do that and call it something else.

The last BBC show I saw on the big screen was the Hitchikers Guide. Look at how good a film that made (not)!