'Doctor Who' Will Join Disney+ Streaming Lineup In 2023

It's like the Doctor once said, "Change my dear, and it seems not a moment too soon." The iconic science fiction television show, "Doctor Who," is officially joining the streaming lineup of Disney+ in 2023. BBC and Disney Branded Television announced this week that the streaming platform will be the new global home of the longest-running science fiction TV show in history starting later next year.

The new landmark deal will make Disney+ the main global home for the hit show outside of the United Kingdom. The announcement was made on Tuesday (Oct. 25) by the next Doctor actor, Ncuti Gatwa, on "Live with Kelly and Ryan."

Under the new streaming deal, BBC will remain the exclusive home of the sci-fi show in the UK and Ireland. However, Disney+ will be the new global hub for "Doctor Who." New episodes of the hit show will premiere on BBC and Disney+ starting in late 2023. A new logo for the upcoming new era of the show was also revealed by BBC and Disney.

https://twitter.com/DisneyPlus/status/1584903857888526338

The announcement comes hot off the heels of some other big reveals for long-running, iconic series. Jodie Whittaker saw her five-year run as The Doctor end with this week's "The Power of the Doctor" special. Whittaker, The Thirteenth Doctor, was mortally wounded and regenerated.

However, after regenerating into The Fourteenth Doctor, the Gallifreyan time traveler regained the form of his tenth iteration, that of actor David Tennant, who has officially returned to the role. So now, The Fourteenth Doctor has taken the form of The Tenth Doctor (Got all that?).

https://twitter.com/bbcdoctorwho/status/1584277227885166593

Per the BBC, Tennant and The Tenth Doctor's former companion, Donna Noble (Catherine Tate), are returning to the show for three special episodes to celebrate the franchise's 60th anniversary. The three special episodes marking the anniversary and Tennant and Tate's returns will debut later this November. Gatwa will then take the stage for his run as The Doctor following Tennant's three-episode run.

Additionally, former "Doctor Who" and spinoff "Torchwood" longtime writer, Russell T. Davies, is back on the show as the lead showrunner. Davies spearheaded the show's revival back in 2005, and it's remained on the air since.

Also joining the cast for the show are Yasmin Finney as Rose, and a mysterious new character portrayed by Neil Patrick Harris. The BBC also released a new preview clip offering a clip of the upcoming specials:

https://youtu.be/i5CAsSzUxzU

The BBC also confirmed that while Tennant is back as "The Fourteenth Doctor," Gatwa will join the show as "The Fifteenth Doctor" during the "festive period in 2023." Davies has promised that the path to Gatwa's debut "is laden with mystery, horror, robots, puppets, danger, and fun!"

According to The Walt Disney Company, Disney+ will serve as the exclusive home for new seasons of "Doctor Who" outside of the UK and Ireland, and this is the start of a landmark collaboration between BBC and Disney Branded TV.

https://twitter.com/i/status/1584990681554071552

Meanwhile, Davies added on Disney and BBC's landmark streaming deal, "I love this show, and this is the best of both worlds – with the vision and joy of the BBC and Disney+ together we can launch the TARDIS all around the planet, reaching a new generation of fans while keeping our traditional home firmly on the BBC in the UK."

Disney+ gaining the exclusive streaming rights to "Doctor Who" is a pretty bold and huge move. HBO Max previously landed the streaming rights for the series back in 2019, and the show became one of the streaming platform's launch titles. This is a major sign of diversification for Disney+'s streaming lineup since "Doctor Who" is not a Disney or Disney-owned IP.

The upcoming episodes of "Doctor Who" will be produced by Bad Wolf with BBC Studios Production in Wales.