'Doctor Who' Panel Confirms Limited Series Spinoff

It’s been nearly a decade since Doctor Who last graced San Diego Comic-Con’s Hall H, though, in terms of the show’s 60 years, that’s just a drop in the bucket. Returning showrunner Russell T Davies, the Fifteenth Doctor Ncuti Gatwa, and Season 1 companion Millie Gibson, who plays Ruby Sunday turned up to the legendary Hall H to give a few hints about Season 2, and confirm the bigger news of the first of the Whoniverse spinoffs, the five-episode limited series The War Between the Land & the Sea. 

Moderated by Josh Horowitz of the Happy Sad Confused Podcast, Davies admitted that when he first rebooted the series in 2005, he never saw the way the series would change and grow. He claimed never to write characters for specific actors because he’s still used to their agents saying no. (Jinx Monsoon was the closest he’s come.) But he knew things were changing for the new series during the premiere of “Rogue” when Kylie Minogue called in the middle of the episode, squealing over her song being used. He was delighted but also: “Please don’t call now, Doctor Who’s on.”

Gatwa and Gibson gushed over filming “Rogue,” him over Jonathan Groff and her over Indra Varma. (Notably, Gibson referred to that episode as “Bridgerton.”) Hall H started to make it snow as Gibson talked, much to the crowd’s amusement, before turning to the serious matter of Christmas. The full 2024 Christmas Special trailer then played, introduced by guest star Nicola Coughlan. The trailer is a time-jumping romp in which the Doctor visits several eras trying to figure out who ordered a pumpkin latte, only to run into a Silurian.

Speaking of Silurians, Davies finally confirmed the first Whoniverse spinoff. The War Between the Land & the Sea will star Russell Tovey and Gugu Mbatha-Raw, as well as Jemma Redgrave as the Head of UNIT. Yes, Tovey and Mbatha-Raw have been on the show before, but no, they’re not reprising their original characters, Midshipman Frame and Martha’s sister Tish Jones. (However, Davies said he would totally write that team up.)

We also learned the name of Season 2’s new addition to the TARDIS, played by Varada Sethu, who fans met in Season 1 (though as a different character): Belinda Chandra. Also, Ruby Sunday has a new young man she’s been hanging out with, played by Jonah Hauer-King (World on Fire). Davies noted that Ruby will indeed be experiencing post-Doctor PTSD and that it will lead her back to the TARDIS.

Doctor Who’s Christmas Special will air/stream on Christmas Day, December 25, 2024, on the BBC and Disney+. The War Between the Land & the Sea and Doctor Who Season 2 (or Season 15/41 if you prefer) are expected out in 2025.