According to showrunner Russell T Davies, Doctor Who season 15 is seemingly already in development ahead of season 14’s expected 2024 premiere.
Despite Doctor Who season 14 still being in the midst of filming for a 2024 release, season 15 is seemingly already in development under current showrunner Russell T Davies. The long-running sci-fi series will air season 14 in 2024, with Ncuti Gatwa taking on the role of the Fifteenth incarnation of the leading Time Lord. Gatwa is currently taking part in the filming of the upcoming season alongside new companion star Millie Gibson. While David Tennant’s highly anticipated return to Doctor Who has still yet to air ahead of Gatwa’s full debut in fall 2023, it is clear that showrunner Davies is focused on the show’s future for many years to come.
In an upcoming issue of Doctor Who Magazine, the showrunner revealed he had begun working on season 15 scripts despite season 14 being in the midst of filming. Davies stated four season 15 episode scripts were in development, with the showrunner giving a tentative airdate of 2025. Read his response below:
“And there isn’t time to pause, as we leap on to the 2025 season. Right now, four scripts are being written simultaneously, including this one, right here in front of me, which you won’t see until the year after next.”
Russell T Davies’ Doctor Who Season 15 News Is A Good Sign For The Show’s Future
Davies’ comments are sure to ease concerns about its continuation following a period when the show’s release schedule was shaken up. After the release of season 9 under former Doctor Who showrunner Steven Moffat and lasting throughout Chris Chibnall’s tenure helming the series, the show has seen years where a full season hasn’t aired, including 2016, 2019, and 2022, with only a number of seasonal episodes during these years. With Davies revealing that Doctor will return in 2025, it is clear that viewers can expect a yearly release schedule closer to his tenure and Moffat’s earlier years.
Season 15’s early development could potentially hint at the return of a larger, overarching narrative for Davies’ Doctor Who era. While Davies’ initial tenure began with a debut season starring Christopher Eccleston’s Ninth Doctor, season 2 was not guaranteed during season 1’s production and was only recommissioned weeks after its first episode premiered. Eccleston’s season not only offers a gateway for new viewers but feels like a more standalone storyline compared to other seasons. With Davies already working on new stories for season 15, the showrunner’s new era may possess a larger ongoing narrative from the start rather than featuring a more standalone first season.
With season 15 already underway, Doctor Who’s future remains bright. Between an ever-growing Doctor Who season 14 all-star cast, a partnership with Disney+, and rumors of new spin-offs, the show’s new era has already created renewed public interest in the long-running series. As such, Davies already working on season 15’s story, with an expected 2025 release, will leave viewers excited for the return of yearly Doctor Who seasons.
