While the next full season of Doctor Who won’t air until Christmas 2026, fans in the US with Disney+ will be able to watch its new spin-off, The War Between the Land and the Sea, much sooner. I was already excited about this new show, especially after the positive reviews from the UK. But after speaking with a visual effects specialist about the creatures featured in the series, and how they compare to other monsters in the Doctor Who universe, I’m even more enthusiastic!
The newest issue of SFX Magazine, available on TopMob, focuses on The War Between the Land and the Sea and features several interesting interviews. They spoke with Neill Gorton, CEO of Millennium FX, who was in charge of designing the new Homo Aqua – previously known as the “Sea Devils” in the Doctor Who universe. Gorton explained that the design needed to be distinct from other classic Doctor Who aliens for a clear reason:
The goal is to make these creatures feel natural and believable. Since they’re prehistoric Earth life, we want to avoid making them seem like aliens – they should feel like they belong here.
As fans of Doctor Who will recall, Homo Aqua are closely related to the Silurians – a highly evolved, reptile-like species that lived on Earth before humans. This means Silurians and Homo Aqua aren’t technically ‘aliens’ in the Doctor Who universe; they’re the original inhabitants of the planet.
Neill Gorton and his team worked hard to make all the different versions of the Homo Aqua creatures seem like they could have actually evolved on Earth. They aimed for a look that was both recognizable and slightly otherworldly. However, it’s important to remember that the initial designs were created before Gorton and Millennium FX joined the project.
The original designer, John Friedlander, clearly drew inspiration from turtles when creating the face, so we’ve kept those features – like the ear-like fins, beak-shaped face, and large eyes. The goal is to make it feel like a natural creature, something that could have evolved alongside dinosaurs. We want it to feel believable as part of Earth’s ecosystem.
It’s clear the design was inspired by turtles, and it’s interesting how it ended up looking almost like a dinosaur. The final result is fantastic, which isn’t surprising considering Doctor Who has always been known for its creative and unique creatures.
Ncuti Gatwa’s time as the Doctor on ‘Doctor Who’ was the most inclusive and welcoming to LGBTQ+ viewers yet. However, one major plot point felt unresolved and disappointing.
I’m really excited about the upcoming US release of The War Between the Land and the Sea, and I hope its positive reception encourages the BBC to create more shows for older viewers. It’s great to see Doctor Who thriving with a unique style, and that’s key to keeping the series fresh and successful for years to come.
Now that the BBC is solely funding Doctor Who again, it’s likely we’ll see a lot of new spin-off shows in the future. Disney stopped co-producing at the end of 2025, but will continue to stream War Between the Land and the Sea on Disney+ in 2026.
As a huge fan of all things Marvel, Star Wars, and now Doctor Who – especially with that new The War Between The Land And The Sea spin-off coming later this year – I’ve been checking out Disney+. They’ve got a new, more affordable plan starting at just $11.99 a month, though it does include ads. If you want to skip the ads, it’s $18.99 a month, or you can save a bit by paying for the whole year upfront for $189.99 – that works out to a 16% discount! I’m seriously considering signing up.
Everyone knows The War Between the Land and the Sea is coming out this year, but we don’t have a specific date yet. I’m hoping it’ll be released in the summer or fall – that would be perfect timing before the Christmas special featuring Billie Piper. Either way, stay tuned for news on when you can watch this exciting new show and see its amazing creatures!
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2026-01-27 16:09