It seems one of the longest-running shows in TV history could very well be in danger of coming to an end with rumors swirling that Doctor Who’s future is up in the air due in part to the show’s current lead looking to cut and run.
According to a new report from trusted scooper Daniel Richtman, Doctor Who lead Ncuti Gatwa is not interested in returning for a third season as the 15th Doctor. Instead, Gatwa is hoping to step away from the show in order to pursue a larger career in Hollywood.
Now, this alone is nothing new for the franchise. Many of its stars have only stuck around for a few seasons before leaving the show, and this works for the franchise thanks to the way in which the Doctor regenerates, allowing for the creative team to bring in new actors to play the iconic character. As disappointing as it might be that Gatwa is apparently ready to walk away from the show after just two seasons in the lead role, it’s understandable that he wants to pursue a bigger career beyond the show.
What is interesting is that the report from Richtman indicates that Gatwa has already shot a regeneration scene for the show, seeming to all but confirm his exit is forthcoming. However, his exit might be the least of the franchise’s concerns as it seems the future of the franchise is in “limbo” due to both his exit and the fact that Disney+’s soft reboot hasn’t exactly been the “smash” success those involved with the show hoped it would be.
That’s not to say the Disney+ series hasn’t been well-received by fans or that it isn’t popular among the fandom, but it seems the show might not be putting up the numbers Disney+ hoped it would by making it a Disney+ original. Disney+ has a history of canceling shows regardless of how popular they might be among viewers, so we have to wonder if the streaming service might look to move on from Doctor Who after the show’s second season wraps this May.
Given how popular the Doctor Who IP is, we imagine Disney might use Gatwa’s rumored departure as a chance to bring in a more well-known actor to assume the role. This could give them the chance to see if interest in the soft reboot increases with a new actor in the role of the Doctor before calling it a day and canceling the show’s current iteration.
Still, this is Disney+, which has surprised us time and time again with its renewal and cancellation decisions, so only time will tell whether a third season will happen or if Disney might press pause on the show for the time being to figure out what the next chapter in the franchise will look like.
For now, fans can enjoy new episodes of season 2 on Disney+ every Saturday through the season’s May 31 finale.