Following Jodie Whittaker’s exit next year, Doctor Who will be getting not just a new Doctor, but also a new showrunner, a new production company and, by the looks of it, a potential hefty boost to its budget, too. According to the latest reports, Sony is about to acquire Bad Wolf Productions, who will be making the series from 2023 onwards.
Last month, it was revealed that former showrunner Russell T. Davies will be returning to helm the show after current EP Chris Chibnall exits with Whittaker in 2022. That announcement also confirmed that Bad Wolf will be partnering with BBC Studios to produce the sci-fi drama during his tenure.
Now, as per Broadcast, we’re learning that Sony is “on the brink” of acquiring Bad Wolf following a £60 million deal. Access Entertainment and Sky/HBO, who are currently minority shareholders, will reportedly retain their stakes, but Sony will become the majority shareholder. Neither party has yet to respond to the news publicly.
The announcement that the studio behind His Dark Materials was taking charge of the show was already encouraging, and now this Sony acquisition could mean the Whoniverse is about to be massively expanded. A major studio like Sony being involved in Doctor Who‘s production will likely spell a big budget increase, not to mention a push to franchise it out. It’s not too far-fetched to imagine Sony wanting a Doctor Who movie, for example.
Bad Wolf Productions was founded in 2015 by former BBC Head of Drama Jane Tranter and ex-Who exec producer Julie Gardner. The name comes from the iconic storyline that unfolded in season 1 of the revived series in 2005, which was helmed by Davies and which both Tranter and Gardner worked on. The company has also produced the 2016 crime drama The Night Of and the ongoing supernatural drama A Discovery of Witches.
Doctor Who returns on Sunday, October 31st for its six-part thirteenth season, subtitled Flux.
