After Disney stopped working with Doctor Who last year, fans have been worried about the show’s future. The partnership ended soon after Season 15 finished in May 2025, and while a new special is confirmed for this Christmas, many are still curious about what’s next for the series. Writer Mark Gatiss recently shared his ideas about the future of Doctor Who, even though details about the 2026 Christmas special are still being kept secret.
As a huge Doctor Who fan, I’ve always loved Mark Gatiss’ writing – some of his episodes are genuinely brilliant. But what’s often overlooked is that he’s also been in Doctor Who! He played Professor Lazarus back in Season 3’s “The Lazarus Experiment,” and then Captain Lethbridge Stewart in the 2017 Christmas special, “Twice Upon a Time.” So, he really understands the show from both sides of the camera. That’s why, when he was at the Radio Times Covers Party recently, I was really interested to hear his thoughts on where Doctor Who is headed, especially when he started comparing it to other classic sci-fi franchises.
It’s not going to reach the level of Star Wars, and that’s okay. It’s more like Doctor Who, and I think that’s what makes it work. Visually, it’s fantastic – the Disney investment clearly paid off. Ultimately, though, it’s a creepy and unusual show.
What Mark Gatiss Thinks About the Future of ‘Doctor Who’
Mark Gatiss notes that the unique and strange qualities of Doctor Who are what he’s always loved about it, and that it truly stands apart from other shows – a sentiment many fans share. Since its debut in 1963, Doctor Who has become a beloved part of British culture, and its popularity has grown even more internationally, particularly with the show’s recent availability on Disney+. Gatiss also raises another insightful point about the franchise.
Doctor Who works best when it stays true to itself. That unique quality is a big part of why fans have always enjoyed the show.
Disney’s involvement with Doctor Who had both positive and negative effects. The increased funding allowed for better special effects and more exciting action, but some felt it diminished the show’s unique character – something fans hope Russell T Davies will restore. Doctor Who remains a hugely popular and long-running sci-fi series, but it’s distinctly different from franchises like Star Wars and the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and that’s a key to its success. Many other sci-fi shows try to imitate those big franchises, but they often struggle to stand out in comparison.
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Doctor Who is truly one of a kind, and no other show or movie has ever quite reached its level – a point Mark Gatiss often emphasizes. While fans await news about the 2026 Christmas special and the show’s future, it’s hoped that Russell T Davies will consider Gatiss’s thoughts, as many viewers feel the same way.
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2026-02-06 14:48