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According to BBC America , Jenna-Louise Coleman “will play The Doctor’s new and as yet unnamed companion, in the hit British sci-fi TV series DOCTOR WHO.
Coleman will be introduced to audiences for the first time in the show’s 2012 Christmas Special following the departure of the current companion Amy Pond, played by Karen Gillan, who will leave in episode 5 of the upcoming Series.” (The seventh season of the revived series.)
Jenna-Louise Coleman is best known for her work on the long-running BBC primetime soap opera EMMERDALE, set in Yorkshire.
“Matt Smith says of Coleman:
‘It’s very exciting news. I was part of the audition process where we met a number of wonderful actresses.
‘But I think Jenna responded to Steven’s (writer/ producer Steven Moffat) writing in the most interesting way. We’re very excited to welcome her to the Doctor Who family.’ ”
The BBC quoted Coleman as saying: “I’m beyond excited, I can’t wait to get cracking; working alongside Matt I know is going to be enormous fun and a huge adventure.”
The Doctor will meet his new friend in a dramatic turn of events as the show builds towards its enormous, climactic 50th anniversary year – full of thrills, adventures and big surprises. Series seven is currently filming and comprises 14 big, blockbuster-movie episodes – each a brand new epic adventure featuring new monsters and some familiar foes as you’ve never seen them before. Coleman's character a mystery?
Lead writer and Executive Producer, Steven Moffat, says: “It always seems impossible when you start casting these parts, but when we saw Matt and Jenna together, we knew we had our girl. She’s funny and clever and exactly mad enough to step on board the TARDIS.
“It’s not often the Doctor meets someone who can talk even faster than he does, but it’s about to happen. Jenna is going to lead him his merriest dance yet. And that’s all you’re getting for now. Who she’s playing, how the Doctor meets her, and even where he finds her, are all part of one of the biggest mysteries the Time Lord ever encounters. Even by the Doctor’s standards, this isn’t your usual boy meets girl.”
Danny Cohen, Controller, BBC One, adds “As we approach Doctor Who’s 50th anniversary it’s great to welcome a new companion to the TARDIS. I feel confident the Doctor will look after her in his own very unique style.”
Johnny Depp, Armie Hammer
Here’s the first picture released of Johnny Depp as kind of ‘ghost-warrior’ Tonto and a slightly city-fied Armie Hammer as the Masked Man in THE LONE RANGER.
Radio Ranger actor Brace Beemer often wore a black & white outfit in his public appearances as the character, so it’s not entirely without precedence.
Directed by Gore Verbinski (PIRATES OF THE CARRIBEAN) THE LONE RANGER is due out in 2013 by Jerry Bruckheimer and Walt Disney Films.
Continuing in the western theme, DOCTOR WHO will go West in the third episode of the new season of the revived series, Written by Toby Whithouse (BEING HUMAN).
Actually, it’s south, as Spain is subbing for the American West in the BBC production. Matt Smith as The Doctor
Here’s a pic of Matt Smith donning a Stetson once again for the show, in which Ben Browder (FARSCAPE, STARGATE SG-1) will guest star. Saul Metzstein is directing. Photo via Whovians.net
Amy, The Doctor, and Rory The BBC reports that Karen Gillan and Arthur Darvill, who play the popular couple Amy Pond and Rory on DOCTOR WHO, will be leaving the series during the bext season.
Writer/Producer Steven Moffat confiremed the news at a press screening of this year’s Christmas special.
“The final days of the Ponds are coming,” said Moffat, referring to the married couple to travel as the companions of the Doctor (Matt Smith). “I’m not telling you when or how, but that story is going to come to a heartbreaking end.”
The producer went on to say that the Doctor would new a “new friend”. The BBC indicated that the rolee has likely not yet been cast.
Star Matt Smith said of his co-stars:
“We had the most incredible journey. We took over the show and we’ve really had to hold hands and help each other through it.
So it’s very disappointing, but one has to remember that this show is about change and regeneration, and that’s what galvanizes it and pushes it forwards.”
In additional news, Moffat and Smith guested on BBC Radio 5’s Live’s Richard Bacon Show, and the producer made the following comments about HARRY POTTER director David Yates’ recent comment about a possible “out-of-continuity” stand-alone DOCTOR WHO feature film.
David (Yates) was talking a little out of turn, there; a very, very brilliant director but no, the film as described by him, of course we’re not going to do that. A film that contradicts the television series, it would be a heathen thing to do … I would be ‘beheaded’ to do such a thing!
It would be wonderful to do a Doctor Who film, but when and if we did —and hopefully we will be doing it—it will be very much an offshoot of the television series and we’ll be part of it, and it will star the television Doctor, of course—anything else would be heresy!
There’s good news and bad news from the world (or is that time-space continum?) of the Doctor.
Here’s the trailer for the 2011 Christmas Special, DOCTOR WHO: THE DOCTOR, THE WIDOW AND THE WARDROBE. It premieres this Christmas on BBC America.
Evacuated to a house in Dorset from war-torn London, Madge Arwell and her two children, Lily and Cyril, are greeted by a madcap caretaker whose mysterious Christmas gift leads them into a magical wintry world.
Starring: Matt Smith and Claire Skinner. Executive Producers: Steven Moffat, Piers Wenger and Caroline Skinner
Looks like fun. However, in Doctor Who Magazine, writer/producer Steven Moffat has confirmed that the BBC production will not be back for any new episodes in 2012 until Autumn. There will be no Easter Special or Spring season.
“DOCTOR WHO in the summer? All that running down tunnels, with torches, and the sunlight streaming through your windows and bleaching out the screen? All those barbecues and children playing outside, while on the telly there are green monsters seething in their CGI-enhanced lairs? It’s just not right is it? Be honest.
For me, as a kid, when the afternoon got darker and there was a thrill of cold in the air, I knew that even though summer was over, the TARDIS was coming back! So yes, that’s part of the plan, that’s part of the reason for this little delay. But it’s not the whole story.”
… But a big old anniversary is coming, for all of us, isn’t it? Be assured planning has already started. Very soon now, DOCTOR WHO is going to enter production for the longest sustained period we’ve ever attempted, and the biggest and best and maddest time ever to be a fan of this wonderful old show is rumbling towards us.
And yes, you got me. We needed a little more time to prepare for everything we’ve got planned. That, above all, is why we needed this little gap. Just be a tiny bit patient, and trust me, we’ll make it up to you. For full and comprehensive details of the spectacle to come, consult your fondest memories in a couple of years time.”
For those not in the know, Moffat is referring to the show’s 50th Anniversary in 2013, which is expected to be marked by special episodes and— fans hope—maybe, just maybe some old familar faces.
Time itself will tell. (Via BBC America and NME.com)
Here’s a clip from tomorrow’s upcoming DOCTOR WHO season six finale, The Wedding of River Song.
DOCTOR WHO airs this Saturday at 9:oo PM/8 Central on BBC America, following a marathon of season six epidsodes. Season 6 Promo art
Dammit, Jim, I'm a doctor, not a newsreader!
What can we say? There were no new genre films being released to theaters this week, and Steve and Larry had schedules that prevented them from syncing up for a planned discussion of TWILIGHT ZONE episodes (we’ll try to do that at some other point).
So, instead, Dan sat down with his trusty microphone and a stack o’ news, and brings you up-to-date on what happened in genre in the past week and what’s coming to theaters and home video in the coming week.
Everything will be back to normal next week (relatively speaking). Until then, click on the player, and enjoy!
According to DoctorWhoTV, Doctor Who Magazine has confirmed that the Seventh Season of the revived DOCTOR WHO will indeed be cut into two parts. Unlike the Spring and Fall spilt of this year’s (Season 6) 13 episodes, it appears that only half of the shows greenlit by the BBC will air in 2012.
Production of Season 7 will not begin until February of next year, which would seem to preclude a Spring airing, so Autumn 2012 is likely the earliest we’ll see regular episodes. However, an Easter Special may be in the cards—some comfort for WHO fans.
They predict the following loose schedule.
2012 Easter Special
Autumn – Season 7, Part 1
Christmas Special 2013 Spring – Season 7, Part 2
Autumn – Series 8
Christmas Special
So 2013, the series 50th Anniversary (from the Original’s 1963 debut) maybe be a a real feast, after a very lean 2012.
According to this BBC Press Release, production is now taking place in Cardiff, Wales for the new DOCTOR WHO Christmas special.
Production has started on the 2011 DOCTOR WHO Christmas Special in which the Doctor (Matt Smith) finds himself in war-torn England embarking on a magical and mysterious adventure with a young widow and her two children.
A stellar guest cast including Claire Skinner (Outnumbered), Bill Bailey (Black Books), Arabella Weir (The Fast Show) and Alexander Armstrong (Armstrong & Miller), join Matt Smith in the emotional festive special, packed full of Christmas thrills and chills.
Steven Moffat, Lead Writer and Executive Producer, commented: “The Doctor at Christmas—nothing is more fun to write. Maybe because it’s so his kind of day—everything’s bright and shiny, everybody’s having a laugh, and nobody minds if you wear a really stupid hat. Of all the Doctors, Matt Smith’s is the one that was born for this time of year – so it’s the best news possible that he’s heading back down the chimney.”
The special, set during the Second World War, sees Madge Arwell and her two children, Lily and Cyril, evacuated to a draughty old house in Dorset, where the caretaker is a mysterious young man in a bow tie, and a big blue parcel is waiting for them under the tree. They are about to enter a magical new world and learn that a Time Lord never forgets his debts.
Claire Skinner said: “I am thrilled to be in Doctor Who playing Madge who is a bit of super-mum. It’s a magical part.”
This marks Matt Smith’s second outing as the Doctor at Christmas time and will follow hot on the heels of the successful 2011 series, currently airing on BBC One until October.
The Christmas Special was commissioned by Ben Stephenson, Controller, BBC Drama and Danny Cohen, Controller BBC One. Steven Moffat is Lead Writer and Executive Producer with Piers Wenger and Caroline Skinner, also executive producing.
Filming on the Christmas special will continue until mid-October 2011.
Though not mentioned in the release, Karen Gillan and Arthur Darvill have been seen on location at their modern day home. It’s not known how much of a role they will play in the story.
DOCTOR WHO examins the roots of a child’s fears in the upcoming Night Terrors.
BBC Description:
The Doctor receives a distress call from the scariest place in the Universe: a child’s bedroom.
Every night George lies awake, terrorised by every fear you can possibly imagine – fears that live in his bedroom cupboard. His parents are getting desperate – George needs a doctor.
Fortunately for George, his desperate pleas for help break through the barriers of all time and space and the Doctor makes a house call. But allaying his fears won’t be easy; because George’s monsters are real.
Directed by Richard Clark. from a script by Mark Gatiss. Starring Matt Smith, Karen Gillan, Arthur Darvill, with guests Jamie Oram (George), Daniel Mays (Alex), Andrew Tiernan (Mr. Purcell), Emma Cunniffe (Claire), Leila Hoffman (Mrs. Rossiter) and Sophie Cosson (Julie).
DOCTOR WHO airs this Saturday in the US on BBC America at 9:00 PM (ET/PT) .
