Doctor Who showrunner Steven Moffat has addressed the possibility of CGI being used to revive past Doctors on screen.

The technique was prominently used recently in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, with a substantial role for Peter Cushing’s character Grand Moff Tarkin, despite the actor’s death in 1994.

There has been much discussion since the film’s release about the process, with some fans welcoming the use of the technology while others found it off-putting and disrespectful.

Cushing played ‘Dr. Who’ in two non-canon Dalek movies in the 1960s.

Asked by a fan in Issue 509 of DWM (out now) if we can now expect to see the return of William Hartnell, Patrick Troughton and Jon Pertwee in a future multi-Doctor story, Steven Moffat said: “Well, like every other Doctor Who fan, that was my first thought [upon seeing Rogue One]. But, you know, word on Media Street is that Star Wars might have a tiny edge on us, budget-wise.”

He added: “…I’m fairly sure those are quite expensive movies and possibly that sort of thing might be a bit beyond us for now. More importantly: will the software ever exist that can recreate the comic timing of Patrick Troughton?”

Moffat also hinted in the magazine’s new issue that fans might not have seen the last of River Song.

12 new Doctor Who episodes have been filming in Cardiff since June 2016, with Pearl Mackie and Matt Lucas joining Peter Capaldi as the Doctor’s latest companions, Bill Potts and Nardole.

Doctor Who returns on Saturday 15 April on BBC One.

How do you feel about dead actors being revived on screen with CGI in Doctor Who? Let us know below…