David (Harry Potter) Yates to direct Doctor Who The Movie!

[Pseudo]

So here's Moffat talking about the film on the radio today:

"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!"

You'll note of course that he doesn't say (and has never actually said come to think of it) that Yates isn't involved in developing a DW film; just not one that would contradict the TV series.

I don't remember Yates claiming that a film would contradict the television series, I think that the implication was that it would ignore it. And even then I find it difficult to believe that someone who I seem to remember as being an affirmed fan of the canon contradicting Cushing movies would describe them as "a heathen thing to do".

Basically, I think Moffat is half walking back his earlier statements and adding a bit of his usual fandom trolling for the fun of it.

 

[Mr Awe]

You'll note of course that he doesn't say (and has never actually said come to think of it) that Yates isn't involved in developing a DW film; just not one that would contradict the TV series.

It seems likely that the contracts have already been written and signed for Yates to develop a film. So, the details of that arrangement are set in stone, or ink. Consequently, Yates probably knew what he was talking about. He'd know whatever degree of latitude that he has. I'm guessing that either Moffatt doesn't know or that he's trying to influence public opinion so that Yates feels the pressure to incorporate TV show elements.

Mr Awe

 

[Sindatur]

Maybe it'll be filmed with the Next Doctor, before he actually takes up the mantle on TV, and will be playing in Theaters after the Next Doctor takes up the Mantle on TV.

Or maybe, that's what all this "Matt Smith is searching for Hollywood Roles" stuff is all about, and it really will be a movie with current Doctor and Companions.

I know I'm in the minority, but, I think that's sacriligeous, to have to pay to see an episode of the free TV Show, IMHO, the Theatrical version, should be a completely different animal.

 

[Worf2DS9]

So here's Moffat talking about the film on the radio today:

"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!

So why does Moffat seem to think that this alleged Yates movie should have anything to do with him? He's the showrunner, right, not the franchise runner. Why should any big screen movie have to involve Moffat?

 

[Admiral_Young]

I think Moffat is taking the view that if there were a "Doctor Who" movie in the works that the BBC would approach him to develop it and not seemingly approach an "outsider" sort to speak like it seems they've done. I really still don't know what to believe about this project. Moffat continues to act like he didn't know anything about it to begin with. I still have a problem with the BBC not coming out and announcing this officially instead of letting a magazine quote a director. It just causes confusion in my opinion. I think this is a bad job on the BBC with handling this.

 

[StCoop]

I still have a problem with the BBC not coming out and announcing this officially instead of letting a magazine quote a director. It just causes confusion in my opinion. I think this is a bad job on the BBC with handling this.

Given that we're at least two years away from shooting (if it reaches that stage) there isn't really anything for the BBC to talk about at this point.

It seems to have been more a case of someone at Variety asking David Yates what he was working on next (an obvious question to ask of someone who's just made the third highest grossing film of all time) and him having no idea of what he was unleashing when he answered it.

 

[Admiral_Young]

Yeah that could be true as well. In fact it very well be what happened.

 

[StCoop]

So Moffat was on the TV this morning talking (but not talking) about the film again. I'm really impressed by his ability to fly around the subject without ever quite coming in for a landing.

What's funny to me is that he's now quite enthusiastic on the subject of a film when in the past, even before the Yates story, he was dismissive of the idea.

I guess he's realised that he has to hop on the train or be left behind.

 

[Deckerd]

Maybe because there is backing for a film now whereas there wasn't any before?

 

[23skidoo]

One thing that has to be remembered here, folks. Moffat has now made 3 or 4 (possibly more) extremely public statements about Yate's film plans being "off-message" and all that. And the latest one, this morning on BBC Breakfast, on one of the Beeb's major promotional programs. If it was Moffat who was "off message" about the movie someone high up - at the very least Tranter - would have told him to cool it by now. Just saying. We've gone beyond "he protests too much" - if he's still saying this in major BBC-sponsored forums what, two months after the original news broke, then as far as I'm concerned, Moffat is giving the definitive, BBC-approved Word of God on the subject, case closed.

Alex

 

[Bob The Skutter]

Maybe because there is backing for a film now whereas there wasn't any before?

Couldn't ever be that simple, there must be some huge cock up or conspiracy there.

 

[Deckerd]

Of course, what was I thinking?

 

[Allyn Gibson]

Radio Times has some Moffat quotes on the subject:

It's completely inaccurate! There's nothing there. I mean it would be lovely, yes. If anything, the only good bit about this is that it might actually focus our minds on thinking that we actually should do a film. It's not going to be a different version of Doctor Who with two different Doctors at the same time. Of course not, we're not that silly. That would be no way to run a franchise, would it? I'd love it to happen, but that version you heard was just a guy getting cornered on the red carpet and not really being on-message.

 

[StCoop]

Radio Times has some Moffat quotes on the subject:

Which don't match up with what he said on TV this morning!

Plus he's dragging out the "red carpet" line again. If any of the so-called journalists who've talked to him about this over the past couple of months were any good at their jobs they'd ask him how a story in Variety and an interview in the LA Times were "red carpet comments".

 

[Brendan Moody]

One thing that has to be remembered here, folks. Moffat has now made 3 or 4 (possibly more) extremely public statements about Yate's film plans being "off-message" and all that. And the latest one, this morning on BBC Breakfast, on one of the Beeb's major promotional programs. If it was Moffat who was "off message" about the movie someone high up - at the very least Tranter - would have told him to cool it by now. Just saying. We've gone beyond "he protests too much" - if he's still saying this in major BBC-sponsored forums what, two months after the original news broke, then as far as I'm concerned, Moffat is giving the definitive, BBC-approved Word of God on the subject, case closed.

Both Yates and Moffat have continued to discuss the movie long past the point at which either one of them would have been asked to stop or formally refuted if the BBC cared what they were saying. At this point, no matter what is happening, there's no benefit to the BBC in attempting to muzzle a major British film director or a major British TV writer/producer making (sort of) completing claims about an in-development project that's years away if it ever gets made at all, and need not ultimately involve either of them.

I note that Moffat is still claiming Yates' remarks were "off-the-cuff" and made on the red carpet, ignoring interviews in Variety and the Los Angeles Times. Yeah, he was off-the-cuff like Danny Cohen was joking. It'd be a lot easier to believe Moffat was better-informed than people in more important positions if he didn't have this habit of making blatantly inaccurate statements about them.

 

[Allyn Gibson]

Radio Times has some Moffat quotes on the subject:

Which don't match up with what he said on TV this morning!

Heh. The quote from Radio Times was barely consistent with itself.

I think that, in these sentences, Moffat has confirmed that Yates is telling the truth. In the course of those six or seven sentences, Moffat goes from saying there isn't a movie in development ("There's nothing there") to saying they're thinking about a movie ("It might actually focus our minds on thinking that we actually should do a film") to saying what the movie should be ("It's not going to be a different version of Doctor Who") to saying that the movie is far enough along in development that Yates is off-script when he talked to Variety ("That version you heard was... not really being on-message"). And no, my characterization of that last sentence is not a stretch. If there isn't a movie in development with Yates attached, then Yates can't be off-message. But for Yates to not be "on-message," not only does that mean that there is a message, but there's also a message that Yates should know that he didn't give when asked.

 

[Pseudo]

As far as I can see it's this simple: Moffat is trolling the fans again. He did it with the Series One/Five pronouncement and he did it with the Series Six is really Series' Six and Seven comments. I can only think that its his hope that if he can keep the fans distracted by arguing over his various pronouncements they won't have time to argue over the qualities of the episodes... Or something.

 

[Brendan Moody]

Moffat's talk about how there's "nothing there" but it "might actually focus our minds on thinking that we actually should do a film" also skirts around the fact (confirmed by the BBC) that there already is a "we" developing a film, BBC Worldwide in Los Angeles, and he isn't part of it.

 

[StCoop]

Radio Times has some Moffat quotes on the subject:

Interesting. That piece also talks about multiple Anniversary Specials in 2013.

Can you say Gap Year II, boys and girls? ('cos I can't see any physical way they could shoot them in addition to two regular series and an Xmas special in the time available.)

 

[Lonemagpie]

Radio Times has some Moffat quotes on the subject:

Interesting. That piece also talks about multiple Anniversary Specials in 2013.

Can you say Gap Year II, boys and girls? ('cos I can't see any physical way they could shoot them in addition to two regular series and an Xmas special in the time available.)

No, it says multiple anniversary episodes, not specials - and since Matt has mentioned season 7 having anniversary stuff in it, it looks more like they'll tag one anniversary special onto that season (perhaps the finale, or the Xmas special, or whatever episode will air closest to New Year 2013, the beginning of the anniversary year) and more in the 2013 season/block...