Is DW franchise big enough to release a movie in theaters right now?

[Dream]

The most popular shows like TOS, TNG, X-Files, and the Simpsons were big enough to make the leap into releasing movies in theaters. Has Doctor Who as a franchise reached that level yet? Would a feature film right now even be successful? If they do a movie, which actor should play the Doctor and what should the plot be?

 

[Pingfah]

Re: Is DW franchise big enough to release a movie in theaters right no

They already did 2 theatrical movies starring Peter Cushing

 

[Starkers]

Re: Is DW franchise big enough to release a movie in theaters right no

There's a big budget film on the way, didn't you know? Directed by the guy who did those Harry Potter films. Must be in post production by now...

 

[Dream]

Re: Is DW franchise big enough to release a movie in theaters right no

They already did 2 theatrical movies starring Peter Cushing

Oh, I thought they only did tv movies in the past!

But I'm talking a new movie right now. What are the roadblocks to getting a movie made?

 

[Dream]

Re: Is DW franchise big enough to release a movie in theaters right no

There's a big budget film on the way, didn't you know? Directed by the guy who did those Harry Potter films. Must be in post production by now...

Didn't Steven Moffat deny that rumor?

 

[Pingfah]

Re: Is DW franchise big enough to release a movie in theaters right no

But I'm talking a new movie right now. What are the roadblocks to getting a movie made?

Probably international appeal. Films get made primarily for the UK market all the time, but not with the sort of budget a Doctor Who movie would require.

It would be as close to a guaranteed smash hit as you could get in the UK, but the rest of the world, probably not so much.

And Benedict Cumberbatch should star. Naturally.

 

[Starkers]

Re: Is DW franchise big enough to release a movie in theaters right no

There's a big budget film on the way, didn't you know? Directed by the guy who did those Harry Potter films. Must be in post production by now...

Didn't Steven Moffat deny that rumor?

He did indeed, I was being sar-car-stick...

 

[Dream]

Re: Is DW franchise big enough to release a movie in theaters right no

It seems the best time to release the movie is right now, DW as a franchise has never been stronger. In a few years interest might drop, and there might not be enough international interest to do a new movie anymore.

 

[Starkers]

Re: Is DW franchise big enough to release a movie in theaters right no

They can't release a film right now. You have to film these things before you do that...The time to do it was probably at the height of the Tennant era, and it probably would have been a Tennant film. (actually maybe they should had said sod the specials let's just make a film)

 

[RoJoHen]

Re: Is DW franchise big enough to release a movie in theaters right no

Unfortunately, I think the only way for a Doctor Who theatrical movie to be truly successful today would be for Hollywood to take over and make an American reboot. And frankly, that just sounds awful.

 

[Pingfah]

Re: Is DW franchise big enough to release a movie in theaters right no

I think the British are more than capable of making the film, we have vast resources of talent in this country, and many big Hollywood sci-fi movies are shot here using British talent.

We would have to aim it at an American audience perhaps, cut out some of the more frivolous sillyness, with an appropriate budget, but we certainly don't need a Hollywood "takeover".

 

[Konata Izumi]

Re: Is DW franchise big enough to release a movie in theaters right no

Hollywood's needed so they can be able to make the budget 70 times larger than usual for 90 minutes of Who.

 

[DalekJim]

Re: Is DW franchise big enough to release a movie in theaters right no

They could do it but.... why would we want that? It'd just mean we get another gap year. I'd rather have a cheap, BBC-made run of 13 episodes than a 90 minute dumbed down, retarded, JJ Abrams-esque, empty spectacle blockbuster movie.

I like Doctor Who for the more eccentric episodes like The Girl Who Waited or The Crimson Horror. A Doctor Who movie would be more like Planet of the Dead.

 

[Sindatur]

Re: Is DW franchise big enough to release a movie in theaters right no

The most popular shows like TOS, TNG, X-Files, and the Simpsons were big enough to make the leap into releasing movies in theaters. Has Doctor Who as a franchise reached that level yet? Would a feature film right now even be successful? If they do a movie, which actor should play the Doctor and what should the plot be?

A Big Budget Movie with $100M - $200M Budget? no, I don't think they'd have a prayer of making it worth their while (IE: What the money folks would consider being worthwhile, such as x% Profit off the Theater Release only, with DVD/BR and Television Rights sales being gravy). However, the Anniversary Special doesn't have anywhere near that kind of budget, and is apparently high enough quality to air in theaters. I think with only a $50M Budget (Which I'm sure is considerably higher than the Anniversary Special) they could do really well for themselves.

As to the Plot, it would need to be an introduction Movie, not necessarily a First Doctor, but, definitely need to be Introductory.

Who to cast would be like the TV show, cast a little known actor with good credits to keep the expenses down and avoid The Movie Doctor being compared to a previous role the Actor did.

 

[The Laughing Vulcan]

Re: Is DW franchise big enough to release a movie in theaters right no

Here's another question, is DW big enough for two series to run concurrently? They've kind of already done it with Torchwood, but I was thinking of two Doctor Who series at the same time... Have a Twelfth Doctor in the normal slot, the usual family entertainment in the same vein that Moffat has been doing with 11, and have an 8th Doctor series running at the same time, set pre Time War, but scheduled post-watershed so that it can be darker and more adult. I don't mean adult as in Torchwood T&A and swears, more adult as in The X-Files...

 

[Mr Awe]

Re: Is DW franchise big enough to release a movie in theaters right no

I would much prefer that Doctor Who remain strictly on television.

Like Star Trek, I think it works better that way. When you get 2 hours of screen time every 3 or so years for a movie, the emphasis is too much on being epic and huge SFx.

For episodic television, you get a lot more screen time, which allows more time to focus on the characters.

I suppose if they were able to film a movie without impinging on the TV series at all, that would be OK.

Mr Awe

 

[Tom]

Re: Is DW franchise big enough to release a movie in theaters right no

They had 3 series at the same time, don't forget about Sarah Jane Adventures. That really seemed to be the peak of Doctor Who. Now we get inconsitantly broadcasted series (6 though 8 anyways) and other disappointments (like the exclusion of a classic doctor inthe anniversary special etc..). RTD's tenure not only brought back Doctor Who after 16 years but gave the DW universe the most exposure. Moffat seems to be working on a much small scale in comparision.

 

[RoJoHen]

Re: Is DW franchise big enough to release a movie in theaters right no

Yeah, forget a movie. I'd be happy if the series had a regular schedule.

 

[Green Lantern]

Re: Is DW franchise big enough to release a movie in theaters right no

In a way, isn't the 50th already doing that?

And yeah, I think it definitely is by now, this is one of the golden ages of the show right now. Besides, the Simpsons and TNG are more than half the age of doctor who, and they've made it onto the big screen successfully. Plus Luther (a British TV series on it's third series now for those of you who didn't know) is getting a film after the latest series, so why not doctor who? If I were in Moffats job, one thing I'd do is a film.

 

[DalekJim]

Re: Is DW franchise big enough to release a movie in theaters right no

"We're making this film for the mainstream popcorn audience, not Doctor Who fans."

*gives us a 2 hour stupidity-fest that does nothing but reference Genesis of the Daleks in the final act*