Doctor Who’s series 8 finale, and a just-announced series 9 prequel, is heading to cinemas in 3D on September 15 and 16.
The BBC just announced a partnership with Fathom Events to bring Doctor Who to movie screens again. Fans will remember that the last time Doctor Who was on the big screen was for the Doctor Who 50th Anniversary Special back in 2013.
According to the BBC, “Doctor Who: Dark Water/Death in Heaven, the show’s two-part eighth season finale, will be presented in RealD™ 3D and Dolby Atmos sound (where available) on September 15 and 16 at 7:30 p.m. (local time). The event will feature The Doctor’s Meditation, a special prequel scene to the first episode of season 9, and an exclusive interview with Doctor Who stars Peter Capaldi and Jenna Coleman, hosted by Wil Wheaton.”
Though his passion may not be as well known as Doctor Who superfan and Comic-Con host Chris Hardwicke, actor Wil Wheaton is a long-time fan of the show, who frequently mentions it on his Twitter account. On one notable occasion, he tweeted a mash up of Doctor Who and The Nightmare Before Christmas:
This is my Doctor Who Christmas Special fan fiction. pic.twitter.com/Zmd4Ak7k
— Wil Wheaton (@wilw) December 17, 2012
All of this is in advance of the Doctor Who season 9 premiere that, as announced at Comic-Con, is slated for September 19, 2015. The exact air time is still TBA. It is unknown if the BBC will go for a global air time, or if the show will air in America in its traditional 9:00 pm ET/PT time slot.
The press release does not specifically mention it, but it is likely that the 3D effects were added in post production. Several key scenes of the season 8 finale were filmed outdoors in London in full view of spectators, and there were no reports of 3D cameras being utilized.
Tickets for the event can be purchased online starting this Friday, July 31 by visiting FathomEvents, or participating theater box offices. According to the BBC, “Fans throughout the U.S. will be able to enjoy the event in approximately 700 movie theaters through Fathom’s Digital Broadcast Network. For a complete list of theater locations visit the Fathom Events website (theaters and participants are subject to change).”
In commenting on the events, Fathom Events VP of Programming Kymberli Frueh stated, “We love bringing Doctor Who events to theaters and seeing the fans come out in full force. This time fans get the added excitement of seeing all the action in 3D with exclusive bonus content not available anywhere else.”
This event should not be confused with the murmurings about a Doctor Who movie supposedly helmed by Harry Potter director David Yates — showrunner Steven Moffatt put a stop to those rumors back in 2012.
Will fans want to see a two-part episode that they already have seen, albeit not in 3D, with the only original content being a prequel scene and an interview that will likely eventually end up on the BBC America YouTube Channel? It’s not quite the same thing as seeing the unaired, historic Doctor Who 50th Anniversary Special in cinemas.