Latest news with #TheWarBetweentheLandandtheSea
Business Upturn
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Business Upturn
The War Between the Land and the Sea: Release date speculation, cast and plot details – Everything we know so far
By Aman Shukla Published on June 1, 2025, 19:30 IST Last updated June 1, 2025, 16:10 IST Doctor Who fans, get ready for an exciting addition to the Whoniverse! 'The War Between the Land and the Sea' is an upcoming five-part miniseries spin-off from the beloved BBC series, focusing on UNIT and the return of the classic Doctor Who villains, the Sea Devils. Announced at San Diego Comic-Con 2024, this thrilling drama promises to deliver epic battles, familiar faces, and a fresh take on the Doctor Who universe. Here's everything we know so far about Season 1. The War Between the Land and the Sea Release Date Speculation As of June 1, 2025, no official release date has been confirmed for 'The War Between the Land and the Sea' Season 1. However, filming began in August 2024 and wrapped in December 2024, giving us some clues for speculation. Filming spanned from August to December 2024, a roughly four-month shoot for the five-episode series. Post-production, including visual effects and editing, is expected to take several months, especially given the Sea Devils' likely need for CGI and prosthetics. Reports, including a rumoured Disney+ 2025 lineup, suggest a late 2025 premiere, possibly between September and December 2025. The War Between the Land and the Sea Cast Details The War Between the Land and the Sea boasts a stellar cast, blending Doctor Who alumni with fresh faces. Here's the lineup confirmed so far: Russell Tovey as Barclay Gugu Mbatha-Raw as Salt Jemma Redgrave as Kate Lethbridge-Stewart Alexander Devrient as Colonel Ibrahim Ruth Madeley as Shirley Anne Bingham Colin McFarlane as General Austin Pierce Additional Cast: Newcomers include Patrick Baladi (known from 'The Office' and 'Line of Duty'), Vincent Franklin ('Cucumber'), Francesca Corney ('Fistful of Vengeance'), Mei Mac, Adrian Lukis, Waleed Hammad, Iestyn Arwel, Hannah Donaldson, Manpreet Bachu, and Ann Akinjirin. Roles for these actors, including potential Sea Devils, are yet to be revealed. The War Between the Land and the Sea Plot Details The official logline sets the stage: 'When a fearsome and ancient species emerges from the ocean, dramatically revealing themselves to humanity, an international crisis is triggered. With the entire population at risk, UNIT steps into action as the land and sea wage war.' Aman Shukla is a post-graduate in mass communication . A media enthusiast who has a strong hold on communication ,content writing and copy writing. Aman is currently working as journalist at
Daily Record
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Record
Ncuti Gatwa exits Doctor Who and regenerates into Billie Piper as fans left speechless
Ncuti Gatwa has left his role as the Fifteenth Doctor after two series and was seen regenerating into Billie Piper. Ncuti Gatwa has stepped down from his role as the Doctor after playing the iconic character for two seasons on the beloved sci-fi series Doctor Who. At the end of the 15th season finale, which aired on Saturday May 31, fans were left stunned as Gatwa was seen regenerating into Billie Piper, who previously played the Doctor's companion, Rose Tyler, when David Tennant was playing the iconic part. In a press release, the BBC refers to the Doctor's regeneration, but says: "Just how and why she [Billie Piper] is back remains to be seen…" Scottish-Rwandan actor Ncuti has released a statement following his shock exit which reads: "This journey has been one that I will never forget, and a role that will be part of me forever." The credit at the end of the programme read: "Ncuti Gatwa as the Doctor. Jodie Whittaker as the Doctor. And introducing Billie Piper". It comes after speculation had been building for some time that Gatwa was going to be 'axed' from the programme which the BBC previously denied. A spokesperson for the BBC told the media earlier this month: "Whilst we never comment on the future of the Doctor, any suggestion that Ncuti Gatwa has been 'axed' is pure fiction." As for whether the series will continue, the BBC explained: "As we have previously stated, the decision on season 3 will be made after season 2 airs and any other claims are just pure speculation. The deal with Disney+ was for 26 episodes – and we still have an entire spin off, The War Between the Land and the Sea, to air. And as for the rest, we never comment on the Doctor and future storylines." Meanwhile Billie Piper, who is set to make her shock return, first starred on the show in 2005 when it returned to television for the first time since the 1990s, appearing alongside Christopher Eccleston and then David Tennant. After her memorable role of Rose Tyler for two full series in 2005 and 2006, the 42-year-old won acclaim for roles including sex worker Belle de Jour in Secret Diary of a Call Girl and the lead character in Sky Atlantic's I Hate Suzie. In 2017, Piper won best actress award at the Olivier's, for her performance in the play Yerma. She was most recently nominated for a Bafta for playing TV producer Sam McAlister in Scoop, a drama about Prince Andrew's car crash interview on Newsnight in 2019. After Scots legend Peter Capaldi stepped down as the 12th doctor, Piper told the BBC she believed a woman should take over the coveted role but was not sure about playing the part herself. Capaldi went on to be replaced by Jodie Whittaker, who was then replaced by Sex Education star Ncuti. Gatwa has only played the Doctor for 18 months, appearing in two series, which marks the shortest amount of time any star has been in the role since Christopher Eccleston's one year stint as the Doctor in 2005. There is still uncertainty about when the show will return after it's finale for season 15 was aired tonight on May 31. Showrunner and head writer Russell T Davies previously confirmed that no official decision would be made on commissioning the next series until this series had been broadcast. The last two series of the show have been co-produced and broadcast internationally by streaming service Disney+, which has given the beloved sci-fi series a bigger budget. However, conversations about whether the BBC and Disney wish to renew that deal, or whether other options should be explored, are likely to take a while. In order for a new series to be released in 2026, production would need to get under way relatively soon.
Metro
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Metro
Doctor Who is wasted on Disney – ditch it or it risks dying
After almost three years, two seasons, five specials, and a spin-off series I've realised one thing – Doctor Who cannot survive under Disney. When Russell T Davies and the BBC announced Doctor Who's global partnership with one of the world's biggest brands, I was initially filled with hope. It marked a new era for the show with a bigger budget than ever, the global stature I believed it deserved, and the chance to pull in new audiences to see what this silly British sci-fi show was all about – and why it has captured so many people's hearts. And yet, the result couldn't have been further from the truth. Jointly with the BBC, Disney Plus only greenlit 26 episodes of the show in total which the creative team decided to divide into three 60th anniversary specials with David Tennant, two Ncuti Gatwa festive specials, two eight-episode seasons and a (yet-to-be released) UNIT spin-off – The War Between the Land and the Sea. Wake up to find news on your TV shows in your inbox every morning with Metro's TV Newsletter. Sign up to our newsletter and then select your show in the link we'll send you so we can get TV news tailored to you. By simply doing the maths, I was already concerned about the inevitably shortened seasons we were going to have. And the fact that three would already be filled with David Tennant's return, taking away from the size of Ncuti Gatwa's run. These worries soon turned into a reality. So far, our time with Ncuti has been stretched extremely thin, let alone any one-season-only companions (as we have had so far with Millie Gibson's Ruby Sunday and Varada Sethu's Bellinda Chandra). Despite an impressive use of the budget to build immersive sets, goblin-themed musical numbers, and an array of vibrant costumes, I barely got to know Ruby Sunday. All before she was bidding adieu to the Tardis in what should have been a tear-jerking finale, but instead just left me baffled and wanting more. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video There was less time for simple scenes playing off Ncuti and Millie's chemistry and more time devoted to big scale theatrics. At least for me, the main appeal of the show is the relationship between the Doctor and their companion – with each carving their own mark into our hearts through their many adventures together. And when Belinda was introduced, with the promise of a fiery personality that would clash with the Doctor, I had hope anew. Unfortunately, the problem is clear and glaring. An eight-episode season, that also includes an epic two part finale, is simply not enough time to flesh out these characters and their dynamics. The stakes are completely gutted when you've only known Belinda (properly) for five episodes before pitting her against the season's big bad. The shortening of season lengths started in Jodie Whittaker's era, but there is a direct correlation between joining Disney+ and our biggest reduction of a regular season size yet down to snappy eight episodes – with just one annual special. The very fact we seem beholden to Disney Plus' decision on whether the show is being renewed means a huge shake-up in production timelines as well. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Instead of being able to receive guaranteed specials and a steady timeline for when each season will come out, we're all being forced to wait with bated breath. The show is unsustainable – and almost soulless – in this condensed, unpredictable format, especially when we still have Doctor-lite episodes like Lucky Day. Without that emotional core, it will be driven to a quiet end. And frankly, no amount of Disney budget makes up for what has been lost plot-wise, unless the money is redistributed to guarantee longer seasons at the cost of high-budget effects. And if I were to see a way forward with Disney Plus, this is what I would want to see done. Not a huge loss since the show still occasionally suffers from the same endearing CGI blunders as before (lest we forget Rogue's greenscreen cameo in Wish World). This can surely be done in the hands of just the BBC. Of course, it's delightful to see the show explore previously uncharted territory like the impressive special effects in Lux, likely only made possible with that sweet Mickey Mouse cash. But I would exchange 100 Luxes to have some goofy low-budget filler episodes to build the relationship between our Doctor and their companion. It could have resulted in a season that had the space to turn Belinda's scepticism into wonder without it feeling rushed or unnatural. It's why, when reports came from the Mirror that the show would continue with the BBC even if Disney didn't renew their deal, I couldn't help but do a mini-celebration. Far from despair, I think returning fully into the hands of the BBC with a steady budget alongside 12 or 13-episode seasons (plus specials) would be ideal. After all, this is not just on the shoulders of Disney. If it was to go back under BBC's sole creative jurisdiction, I would hope they could learn lessons from what went wrong with their time at Disney and course-correct. Especially since there was an era of the show when we were receiving full-length Doctor Who with multi-season companions in tandem with Torchwood (from 2006 to 2011) and Sarah Jane Adventures (2007 to 2011) to target multiple demographics at once. More Trending The expansive depth of the Doctor Who universe (clearly acknowledged in the Disney+ era as well, if the number of returning Classic Who villains is anything to go by) is what makes the show so rich for fans – and why we have trusted the BBC to have its best interests at heart for so long. Naturally, it would be brilliant to see Doctor Who continue to spread its global impact with an easy platform for audiences to access the show – but if it comes at the cost of what makes the series special, then is it really worth it? I hope that if the Disney+ deal is renewed then it goes forward with radical changes to the current format. View More » Otherwise, I'm ready to see the show go back to its BBC roots and given the time and space it deserves to flourish on screen – as it did once before. Do you have a story you'd like to share? Get in touch by emailing Share your views in the comments below. MORE: Ashley Walters calls out BBC's Who Do You Think You Are for rejecting him after 'year of research' MORE: Robert Jenrick has a point but he has no business making it MORE: Sydney Sweeney's bathwater soap isn't the empowering move she thinks it is
Leader Live
24-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Leader Live
BBC issue statement on future of Ncuti Gatwa's Doctor Who
It comes ahead of the second season's finale later this month. The 31-year-old actor took over the role of the Time Lord in 2023, but over the past few months, he's been plagued by reports that he wouldn't be returning to the famous TARDIS. According to an alleged insider, his withdrawal supposedly disappointed BBC bosses, with sources suggesting it was the "final nail in the coffin" for his tenure. What are the Rani and Mrs Flood up to? Here's an exclusive look ahead... More secrets to be revealed in #DoctorWho: WISH WORLD, streaming Saturday 24th May on @BBCiPlayer in the UK and @DisneyPlus where available. The Sun published the source's claims, in which they said: "If the final nail wasn't already in the coffin, it was well and truly hammered in after that. "Bosses were incredibly disappointed. Ncuti, as the Doctor, is one of the corporation's most high-profile faces. His withdrawal was incredibly embarrassing. "It caps what has been a largely depressing tenure in the Tardis for Ncuti." Recommended reading: A spokesperson for the BBC told GB News: "As we have previously stated, the decision on season three will be made after season two airs and any other claims are just pure speculation. "The deal with Disney+ was for 26 episodes, and we still have an entire spin-off, The War Between the Land and the Sea, to air. "And as for the rest, we never comment on the Doctor and future storylines.". The BBC spokesperson also added: 'Whilst we never comment on the future of the Doctor, any suggestion that Ncuti Gatwa has been 'axed' is pure fiction.'
North Wales Chronicle
23-05-2025
- Entertainment
- North Wales Chronicle
BBC issue statement on future of Ncuti Gatwa's Doctor Who
It comes ahead of the second season's finale later this month. The 31-year-old actor took over the role of the Time Lord in 2023, but over the past few months, he's been plagued by reports that he wouldn't be returning to the famous TARDIS. According to an alleged insider, his withdrawal supposedly disappointed BBC bosses, with sources suggesting it was the "final nail in the coffin" for his tenure. What are the Rani and Mrs Flood up to? Here's an exclusive look ahead... More secrets to be revealed in #DoctorWho: WISH WORLD, streaming Saturday 24th May on @BBCiPlayer in the UK and @DisneyPlus where available. The Sun published the source's claims, in which they said: "If the final nail wasn't already in the coffin, it was well and truly hammered in after that. "Bosses were incredibly disappointed. Ncuti, as the Doctor, is one of the corporation's most high-profile faces. His withdrawal was incredibly embarrassing. "It caps what has been a largely depressing tenure in the Tardis for Ncuti." Recommended reading: A spokesperson for the BBC told GB News: "As we have previously stated, the decision on season three will be made after season two airs and any other claims are just pure speculation. "The deal with Disney+ was for 26 episodes, and we still have an entire spin-off, The War Between the Land and the Sea, to air. "And as for the rest, we never comment on the Doctor and future storylines.". The BBC spokesperson also added: 'Whilst we never comment on the future of the Doctor, any suggestion that Ncuti Gatwa has been 'axed' is pure fiction.'
