Doctor Who directors reveal new details about "weird" 60th scripts
"It was just the most expansive thing I’ve ever read."
Excitement for the Doctor Who 60th anniversary specials is amping up, with the three directors now revealing new details about the highly-anticipated episodes.
As Russell T Davies returns to the show, it seems he's on top form, with directors Chanya Button, Tom Kingsley and Rachel Talalay updating fans on the different "flavours" of each special.
Kingsley told Doctor Who Magazine: "A lot of my episode is quite weird," adding that he worried it was going to be a "disaster".
"But of course, when you come to film it, it’s actually really cool. It’s got a lot of similarities with two of my favourite films, Aliens and The Thing. It’s a little bit of the DNA of those, mixed in with Doctor Who," he went on.
By entering your details, you are agreeing to our terms and conditions and privacy policy. You can unsubscribe at any time.
Talalay added that the first episode is reminiscent of "classic family Who" before the specials get more "expansive".
Meanwhile, she teased that her special is action-packed, revealing: "My episode features lots of people in lots of scenes. There’s soldiers, there’s battles."
Summing up the scripts, Button reflected: "It was just the most expansive thing I’ve ever read."
Read more:
- Doctor Who director confirms monster's return for 60th anniversary
- Doctor Who directors detail "amazing" new TARDIS interior
Doctor Who legends David Tennant (the Tenth and the Fourteenth Doctors) and Catherine Tate (Donna Noble) are returning for the epic new specials, which are set to air in November.
They'll be joined by new cast members including Neil Patrick Harris, whose character is being kept under wraps (although there are plenty of theories) and Yasmin Finney, who's playing a character named Rose, widely speculated to be Donna's daughter.
Davies previously teased of the specials: "They're back! And it looks impossible - first, we announce a new Doctor, and then an old Doctor, along with the wonderful Donna, what on earth is happening?
"Maybe this is a missing story. Or a parallel world. Or a dream, or a trick, or a flashback. The only thing I can confirm is that it’s going to be spectacular, as two of our greatest stars reunite for the battle of a lifetime."
The new issue of Doctor Who Magazine is on sale now. Doctor Who is available to stream on BBC iPlayer with episodes of the classic series also available on BritBox – you can sign up for a 7-day free trial here.
Check out more of our Sci-Fi coverage and visit our TV Guide or Streaming Guide to see what's on tonight.
Try Radio Times magazine today and get 12 issues for only £1 with delivery to your home – subscribe now. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Authors
Louise Griffin is the Sci-Fi & Fantasy Editor for Radio Times, covering everything from Doctor Who, Star Wars and Marvel to House of the Dragon and Good Omens. She previously worked at Metro as a Senior Entertainment Reporter and has a degree in English Literature.
