In an age of instant gratification, fans are constantly craving more and more Doctor Who. Season 1 of Doctor Who on Disney+ wrapped earlier this year, but fans will still get to see Ncuti Gatwa’s Fifteenth Doctor this Christmas in the special “Joy to the World” starring opposite Bridgerton‘s Nicola Coughlan. Season 2 of the series also wrapped filming earlier this year, but even with all that Who coming down the pipeline, fans are still wondering: when can we expect news of Season 3.
In speaking to SFX magazine in the new issue, hitting newsstands on September 4, showrunner Russell T. Davies offers a hopeful update. “It’s an industry decision, it’s like any business – these things take time,” Davies explains. “I think the decision will come after the transmission of season two. That’s what we’re expecting, that’s what we’ve always been heading towards.” By that measure, it seems Davies has always known more Who news wouldn’t be coming until after the airing of Season 2. That thinking would align with the fact that Disney had ordered two seasons from the start, so news of a third would hinge on the combined success of both seasons.
What’s Next For the Doctor Who Universe?
Former Doctor Who showrunner Steven Moffat returns to write the 2024 Christmas special “Joy to the World”. We’ll see what the Doctor is like when he’s alone (despite the fact that his wife has told him time and again to never travel alone!) After saying his goodbyes to Millie Gibson‘s Ruby Sunday at the end of Season 1, we’ll see him run into Nicola Coughlan’s Joy. In an interview with Ireland AM, Moffat said, “Nicola is wonderful in it, she will break your heart.” As for the special itself, Moffat said in a YouTube behind the scenes “it’s mad, it’s one of the maddest Christmas specials you’ll ever see. It’s epic, it goes to so many different places. And it’s a great story of who the Doctor is when he’s alone.”
As for Season 2 of Doctor Who, which is expected sometime next year, fans will get to meet another companion joining The Doctor on his adventures. It was confirmed at San Diego Comic Con that Varada Sethu would be joining Season 2 as a new character named Belinda Chandra. Sethu previously starred in the Season 1 episode “Boom” as Mundy Flynn, and it’s not been confirmed if the two characters will be connected. Millie Gibson is also expected to return as Ruby Sunday, now joined by The Little Mermaid‘s Jonah Hauer-King.
When Davies shut down rumors of Gibson’s exit after just one season, he also revealed that her story arc continues into the next season. We’ve already seen the reveal of Ruby’s parentage, and though it received mixed fan reaction, it will be interesting to see what part of her story Davies has deemed unfinished and will explore in Season 2. We’ll also get some answers where Anita Dobson‘s Mrs. Flood is concerned. Davies promised that we’d find out the reason for her fourth wall breaking in Season 2.
While we wait for more Doctor Who, you can catch up on Season 1 now on Disney+ in the US.
