Ho Hum, Another Silly Rumour
A few people have e-mailed and posted comments about the rumour that a Doctor Who film was being made with Johnny Depp as the Doctor. We felt the best comment that was made about it comes from TV critic and Doctor Who author Keith Topping on his blog:
And finally in today’s ‘people will believe any old shit’ story - and for once, amazingly, it hasn’t come from the pages of the Daily Scum Mail or the Daily Star - Johnny Depp has been linked to a movie version of Doctor Who. Allegedly. Yes, I laughed as well. According to website Tor - no, me neither - and quoted by Digital Spy, an article appeared on PubArticles which allegedly quoted former showrunner Russell Davies saying that he was in the process of developing a Doctor Who movie and promised that the Daleks would be involved. So this is, what, a fourth-hand source? However, the article later appeared to have been removed. Because it was bollocks, probably. The Tor website itself is sceptical, noting ‘The grain-of-salt quotient on this idea is MASSIVE.’ However it then goes on to suggest that ‘movie studio sources’ - nameless, of course. So maybe this is a Daily Star story after all - ‘confirmed with Tor.com today that, while it can’t comment on possible story elements, the casting of Johnny Depp as the Doctor for a 2012 film is confirmed.’ Okay. I’m game. I have, in my hand, a tenner. If, by 31 December 2012 a film version of Doctor Who isn’t, at least, in production I shall be keeping it! (Actually, even if the story turns out to have any truth in it, I’ll still be keeping it. What do you think I am, made of money?)
You can pretty much count me in with Mr. Topping. Generally speaking, as soon as you hear big stars attached to an, as yet, unannounced project by ‘nameless sources’ it’s time to turn on the skepticism-o-meter. Seriously.
Posted by Graeme on Saturday, July 3 at 11:49 am
9 Comments...
I knew this story was BS when I first heard about it. If the last movie didn’t work out well, why would they try again, espically if the show is going strong(or decent)? Also if there is a DW movie made, Matt Smith should play the Doctor. Not because he’s the best Doctor, or my favorite, but because he is playing the Doctor right now, so for all intents and purposes, he IS the Doctor. But a movie is sort of unnescessary right now in any case.
Posted by Mr.E on 07/03 at 04:47 PM
I think Depp would be an OK Doctor, though we’ve just seen the best big-screen version of “The Doctor” - and that’s Robert Downey’s version of Sherlock Holmes. There’s no need to do a big-screen version of DW so long as the TV show is making money for the BBC. And even if they do decide to make a film, why not make it with Matt Smith? Look at the ovation the guy got at Glastonbury. He’s more than popular enough to carry the film. This rumor is just as silly as the report that suggested odds’ makers in the UK were lowering the odds of Smith coming back for a second season, even though filming begins sometime in the next few weeks if not already underway!
Posted by Alex on 07/05 at 04:27 AM
The reasons for casting Matt Smith in a big screen DW movie are compelling, but I’m not so sure that they’re compelling enough for Hollywood. Remember that this has been done before—back in 1965 with Peter Cushing cast as Dr. Who. The movie was made for a US audience (it did quite well in the box office but the sequel flopped) and so an actor familiar to Americans had to be cast to get people into the theaters (Who in the USA really knew who Wiliam Hartnell was back in 1965?).
Hollywood would face a similar problem today with a big screen DW movie. The movie would need to appeal to US and world audiences, and not just GB. Yes, with today’s internet and cable television, many more Americans are familiar with the series and its actors than was the case in 1965. But those are mostly fans of the show (who would probably go out and see the movie no matter who was cast in the leading role). Your typical American movie goer has never heard of Matt Smith (the Glastonbury audience was not full of typical American movie goers) and wouldn’t go see the movie in big numbers unless there was a big star in the lead role.
I could be wrong, but I’m pretty sure that that’s how Hollywood executives would approach the casting of a big screen DW movie.
Posted by Javier on 07/05 at 03:39 PM
Your theory has some issues. Take for instance, the fact that many fan-based movies cast an unfimiliar/ unknown actor(s) so a big name star won’t outshine the story. It’s become pretty common nowadays: the new “Star Wars” triliogy, Spider-Man 1 and 2, and I think “Lord of the Rings” had some lesser known actors. My point, is that you don’t always need a big-name star to sell a great movie, it helps, but it isn’t required. Would Matt Smith be a big enough star to carry a movie in the US? Maybe, I think so. If not, ask David Tennent who has had(and will have soon) some experiance in movies in the US. I definately think Tennent could carry the movie, but I would prefer if the current Doctor starred in the movie. Maybe get Tennent or Christopher Eccleston to cameo or co-star. Just a thought, but maybe it would be cool to do a movie on the Time War. Have Paul Mcgann do a regeneration sequence to Christopher Eccleston. This is just a personal hope of mine, because I would love to know what happened during that time.
Posted by Mr.E on 07/05 at 10:21 PM
Just in response to the above two comments, it’s worth noting that the fact the Harry Potter films were filled with utter unknowns never stopped them from becoming huge in the US from Day 1. No one ever heard of Robert Pattinson (except, ironically, for his appearance in a Harry Potter film) before the Twilight films came out. Daniel Craig was “Daniel Who?” to a lot of people when he was cast as James Bond. The best-known actor in last year’s Trek film was the co-star of the Harold & Kumar films. You do not need a name actor in order to carry a well-established and popular brand. There’s no logical reason why a US Doctor Who film couldn’t star Matt Smith. They didn’t cast Justin Timberlake to play Edward Cullen.
Posted by Alex on 07/07 at 06:25 PM
Wasn’t there talk about there being a movie with David Tennant’s Tenth Doctor? Remember in the fourth series Rose was reunited with the Doctor and his ‘clone’ and that she and the clone were able to go off and live together and “grow old together”? It’s possible that there’s a story there… but what am I talking about? There’s a story everywhere in the Doctor Who World!
If a movie ever does materalise, it’s not going to please everyone, just like some stories don’t thrill (or chill) viewers, or the Doctor doesn’t appeal to everyone. Everyone’s going to have their own views on who the Doctor should be played by (the main contendors would probably be Paul McGann, Christopher Eccleston, David Tennant and Matt Smith, all portraying the Doctor’s last four incarnations). Say David Tennant’s chosen to portray the Doctor, then does his companion become Rose, Martha or Donna, or does the story take place between the events of “Journey’s End” and “The End of Time”?
Who writes/produces the movie? Russell T. Davis (having worked on the ninth and tenth Doctors) or Steven Moffatt?
These are just a number of the logistics. Don’t get me started on aliens, enemies, order of events, the look of the TARDIS, etc.! At the end of the day, whatever happens, we’re not all going to be satisfied with what happens and how it’s done! You all know who I would want to portray the Doctor!
Posted by Rachel on 07/10 at 04:55 AM
The movie doesn’t have to please everyone, but it should satisfy most of the fans of the show and a percentage of the general movie-going audience. I don’t think it would be smart to make a movie right of the show’s storylines, because then people who don’t watch the show won’t know what happened before. For instance, The Doctor clone and Rose living on a parallel earth, or the Doctor being heartbroken over losing Donna, it would be easier to tell a new story in the same countinuity, but without all the back story involved. I do agree that any of the last four actors to play the Doctor could be cast, but my vote for the storyline of the movie is still what happened during the Time War. It may sound hypocritical for me to suggest, but there isn’t alot of back story involved, there are only a few details metioned in the show about it, so it could be it’s own story and an exciting one I think.
Posted by Mr.E on 07/10 at 01:59 PM
I’m with you Rachel!
Posted by Julie on 07/10 at 02:56 PM
Doctor Who World Cup at http://www.gallifrey5forum.co.uk - the final 32!
Posted by Nebula Load on 07/17 at 03:19 AM
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