August 2020 – Page 2

Christopher Eccleston returns to Doctor Who

9 August 2020 admin Comments 2 Comments

Big Finish Productions, in association with BBC Studios, today announces the long-awaited return of Christopher Eccleston to the popular role he originated on television.

Christopher Eccleston returns to Doctor Who – The Ninth Doctor’s Adventures

First seen on screen in 2005, Christopher Eccleston’s Ninth Doctor introduced a whole new generation of sci-fi fans to the TARDIS, Time Lords and sonic screwdriver.

Now he’s back in a brand-new series of twelve fantastic full-cast audio adventures in time and space, due to be released across four box sets, starting with volume one in May 2021.

Christopher Eccleston said: “After 15 years it will be exciting to revisit the Ninth Doctor’s world, bringing back to life a character I love playing.”

Story details, writers and additional guest cast are being kept under wraps at present but this Doctor Who audio series promises to be, once again, the trip of a lifetime.

Doctor Who fans worldwide can now pre-order all four volumes, which are available in three formats – collector’s edition CD, digital download or limited edition gatefold triple LP vinyl. Shop the range HERE!

Big Finish’s Chairman, Jason Haigh-Ellery said: “I first talked to Christopher about returning to the role of the Doctor at the Gallifrey One convention in February this year. Christopher said he was enjoying meeting the fans and was pleased that his Doctor was remembered so fondly. He indicated he would be open to discussing a project with Big Finish.

“And then the pandemic happened and time moved both quickly and very slowly. Over recent months, ideas have been exchanged and discussions had. I am so pleased that Christopher has decided to return to the role with us – and I’m excited to welcome him to the Big Finish family as we discover the new adventures of the Ninth Doctor.”

Big Finish’s Creative Director, Nicholas Briggs, added: “Working with Chris was a very special time for me. The beginning of my Doctor Who TV career. So, writing for and directing him feels incredibly exciting. He’s such a powerful performer and it’ll be amazing to work with him again.”

Each of the four volumes in Doctor Who: The Ninth Doctor Adventures will be released as a 4-disc collector’s edition box set or download containing three brand-new full cast audio adventures, plus a selection of behind-the-scenes extras.

Doctor Who: The Ninth Doctor Adventures is now available for pre-order exclusively HERE from just £19.99.

Big Finish listeners can save by pre-ordering a bundle of the entire series for just £88 (as a collector’s edition box set) or £78 (as a download).

Doctor Who: The Ninth Doctor Adventures triple LP vinyls are strictly limited to a pressing of 1,000 per volume, and can be pre-ordered at £35.99 each, or £132 for the bundle of all four albums, Grab the vinyls HERE. Please note: the vinyl editions do not include the behind-the-scenes extras. Purchasers of vinyls will have access to a download version on release, but downloads of these releases will not be available to buy separately.

BBC America Will Air Animated Doctor Who Special “The Faceless Ones” This Autumn

8 August 2020 admin Comments 0 Comment

BBC America has announced a premiere date for the animated Doctor Who special “The Faceless Ones,” which will fill in the gaps of the missing serial from the fourth season of the long-running British sci-fi series that starred Patrick Troughton as the Doctor and was first broadcast in six weekly instalments from April to May 1967. The special will air over two days, on Wednesday, Oct. 7 at 8/7c and Thursday, Oct. 8 at 8/7c.

a close up of a mans face: Doctor Who: The Faceless Ones | Photo Credits: BBC — © Doctor Who: The Faceless Ones | Photo Credits: BBC

“The Faceless Ones” finds the Doctor and his companions taking on sinister identity-stealing aliens known as the Chameleons after the TARDIS arrives on Earth on a runway at Gatwick Airport. The BBC film archive only has two of the six episodes, but there are snippets of footage and still images existing from the other four. Off-air recordings of the soundtrack also still exist, which made animation of the complete serial possible.

As for when the upcoming Doctor Who holiday special “Revolution of the Daleks” will air, BBC America only confirmed once more that it will air this “festive season,” so it’s still unclear if it will air around Christmas or New Year’s Day. All we know for certain is that the special will see the Doctor (Jodie Whittaker) once again face off against the Daleks with the help of her companions, played by Tosin Cole, Bradley Walsh, and Mandip Gill. It will pick up after the Season 12 finale, which saw the Doctor captured by the Judoon.

“The Faceless Ones” premieres Wednesday, Oct. 7 at 8/7c on BBC America. Classic Doctor Who is streaming on BritBox. The revival is streaming on HBO Max.

The Eighth Doctor and Tenth Doctor appear together in a new audio drama!

7 August 2020 admin Comments 0 Comment

The Eighth Doctor and Tenth Doctor star together in a brand-new audio drama, coming later this year as part of the multi-platform story Time Lord Victorious!

This new audio drama features a cast filled with actors familiar to the world of Doctor Who, and will be available to download as well as a limited edition vinyl exclusive to ASDA in the UK.

Doctor Who Time Lord Victorious - echoes of extinction

Trapped, a haunted monster waits to consume new victims. It needs help. It needs a doctor. Unfortunately, it also needs to kill whoever it meets. Thrust into immediate danger, and on the back-foot, it will take all of the Doctor’s ingenuity to triumph.

Two interlinked adventures. Two Doctors. One foe.

In this story, David Tennant will reprise the Tenth Doctor and Paul McGann will reprise the Eighth Doctor in a unique style of storytelling. Time Lord Victorious – Echoes of Extinction comprises of two separate adventures that listeners can play in any order and form a greater narrative which makes for great listening on download, or on limited edition vinyl.

The stellar supporting cast also includes names which will be very familiar to Doctor Who fans: Arthur Darvill (Rory Williams), Burn Gorman (Owen Harper in Torchwood), Mina Anwar (Gita Chandra in The Sarah Jane Adventures), Kathryn Drysdale (Bliss in Love and Monsters) and Paul Clayton (Mr Bartle in Planet of the Ood).

The double-A side vinyl release, coming to selected UK ASDA stores later this year, will feature a different incarnation of the Doctor on each side and will be released on split red and blue vinyl.

Doctor Who Time Lord Victorious Echoes of Extinction

David Tennant said:

“The Doctor in Time Lord Victorious is a different character. He’s slightly lonelier, slightly scratchier, when he doesn’t have one of his pals to hold him back.

“But it’s nice to tell stories from different times of his life. You just have to try and make sure you’re in the right mindset. The script is fascinating. I’ve only got one side of it, but I’m very aware there’s more to this story, that there’s another Doctor on the other side of the disc. I look forward to getting my LP so I can listen to it all.”

Paul McGann added:

“I’ve read this script twice through and I’m still none the wiser. I’m more confused after the second time than I was after the first. It’s only while working on it that I’ve become aware of how it’s going to be structured.

“It really appeals to me, the idea that it’s in two parts, on two sides of vinyl. I think it’s fun for people listening. Part of the excitement is when the different incarnations meet… or nearly meet.”

Doctor Who: Time Lord Victorious – Echoes of Extinction is available to pre-order on download now and will be released on 4th December 2020. The vinyl will be available in UK from selected ASDA stores on 27th November 2020.

The Fourth and Tenth Doctor team up, the Sixth Doctor and Peri have more adventures, plus more

5 August 2020 admin Comments 0 Comment

August sees the release of a range of brand-new audio adventures from Big Finish. Here’s a roundup of what’s available to buy on CD and download this month.

Doctor Who Big Finish audio drama releases

The Tenth Doctor and Fourth Doctor team up!

The Cathedral of Contemplation is an enigma. Existing outside of time, offering solace to those in need. Occasionally, the Doctor drops in to get some perspective. Only this time he’s already there from several lives earlier.

And when the Daleks invade and commandeer the Cathedral, two Doctors must unite to stop them.

Order Out of Time here

Doctor Who Big Finish audio drama releases

The Sixth Doctor and Peri go to counselling

The TARDIS team find themselves on a trip to 19th century Africa, meeting a washed-up Hollywood star, and having a counselling session with a robot Sigmund Freud in four new Sixth Doctor and Peri adventures.

Order The Sixth Doctor and Peri here

Doctor Who Big Finish audio drama releases

Nyssa, Tegan and Marc vs the Slitheen

Madquake – Stranded on the planet Callanna, Nyssa, Tegan and Marc take advantage of its therapeutic atmosphere to come to terms with being abandoned by the Doctor; but others seek to take advantage too. The Slitheen are on their way – and they’re ready to sell this world to the highest bidder!

Thin Time – Hallowe’en, 1892. Celebrated novelist Charles Crookshap claims to have been receiving time communiqués, promising secrets that could change the world forever. But when the TARDIS interrupts the household’s evening, the Doctor realises he isn’t the only alien interloper in London.

Order this twin pack of adventures, Thin Time and Madquake, here

Doctor Who Big Finish audio drama releases

India Fisher narrates a new Short Trip

A time disturbance leads the Doctor and Charley to a remote research station. Unable to form memories, the crew believe someone is doing their work while they sleep. The truth, however, is far more insidious.

Order the Short Trip These Stolen Hours here

All titles are initially available exclusively from the Big Finish website in August.

‘Fury From The Deep’ cover art and special features revealed

3 August 2020 admin Comments 0 Comment

The cover art and special features of the animated version of the missing Doctor Who adventure, releasing on DVD, Blu-Ray and Steelbook on 14th September 2020, have been revealed.

Doctor Who – Fury From The Deep (Limited Edition Steelbook) [Blu-ray] [2020] [Region Free]

Fury From The Deep is told across six episodes and stars Patrick Troughton as the Doctor, Frazer Hines as Jamie McCrimmon and Deborah Watling as Victoria, in her last televised adventure.

The storyline concerns a colony of sentient, parasitic seaweed, last seen in the eighteenth century, returning to attack a number of gas instillations in the North Sea in an attempt to take over humanity.

The three-disc release gives fans the opportunity to enjoy Fury From The Deep in high definition, either in full colour or in black & white. The release will include the surviving clips from the original 1968 production as well.

The six new animated episodes are being made in full colour and high definition and will include the following exclusive special features:

Audio commentaries
The Cruel Sea – Surviving Fury From The Deep
Original surviving footage
Behind The Scenes 8mm footage
Animating Fury From The Deep
Archive interviews with Peter Day and Victor Pemberton
Teaser Trailer
Photo Gallery
The Slide Audio Drama
PDF scripts

Your first look at the ‘Time Lord Victorious’ comics!

1 August 2020 admin Comments 0 Comment

Ahead of its release on 2nd September 2020, get the chance to have your first sneak peek at Titan Comics’ Time Lord Victorious story.

Doctor Who Titan Comics Time Lord Victorious

This is a ground-breaking new comic adventure for the Tenth Doctor that sees the return of the Doctor’s most iconic enemy, the Daleks.

Doctor Who Titan Comics Time Lord Victorious

When the Doctor faces his ancient foes once again, it soon becomes clear that things aren’t what they seem – time is all wrong and something is coming that terrifies even the Daleks.

These Time Lord Victorious stories mark the first time that the Daleks, the Doctor’s deadliest enemy, make their Titan Comics debut.

Time Lord Victorious #1 and #2 are written by Eisner-nominated Jody Houser (Stranger Things, Star Wars, Spider-Man) with art by Roberta Ingranata (Witchblade) and colours by Enrica Eren Angiolini.

Both issues of the comic Time Lord Victorious are available to pre-order now, digitally via Comixology (UK and US) or physically via Forbidden Planet.

Keep an eye out for more Time Lord Victorious news, coming soon