Doctor Who season 15 filming has begun, as work on Ncuti Gatwa’s second season as the Fifteenth Doctor is announced with a video offering a glimpse at the TARDIS. The Sex Education star will take up the role of the Time Lord following David Tennant’s return as the new Fourteenth Doctor during the show’s 60th anniversary specials, set to begin airing in November. Gatwa will be joined by Millie Gibson during his first seasonal special and season 14, who will take on the role of new companion Ruby Sunday.
While Gatwa has yet to make his full debut following Tennant’s Fourteenth Doctor’s regeneration in the upcoming 60th anniversary Doctor Who storyline, work on the next Doctor’s second season is already underway, with the official Doctor Who Twitter account confirming that filming for season 15 has begun.
In the video above, a sheet is pulled off of the TARDIS in a Cardiff production storage warehouse used for the series before the vessel dematerializes, as a caption confirms cameras have begun rolling on the new season. The short teaser also features a segment from “Fifteen”, the Fifteenth Doctor’s new theme that made its debut alongside Murray Gold’s new composition for the main theme song during the recently performed Doctor Who @ 60: A Musical Celebration concert.
Ncuti Gatwa’s Doctor Who Era Marks A Return To A Fondly Remembered Release Approach
With work on Gatwa’s second Doctor Who season well underway before his debut, returning showrunner Russell T. Davies’ new era of the series has seemingly already marked a return to a more regular release schedule. Since season 9, the release of each new season has deviated further from the yearly format enjoyed during Davies’ first tenure and most of following showrunner Steven Moffat’s time helming the show. The most notable change could be seen under previous showrunner Chris Chibnall, which saw larger gaps between seasons, the longest being the wait between seasons 11 and 12 from December 2018 to January 2020.
Davies had already hinted that writing on Doctor Who season 15 had begun partway through season 14’s production, and has further teased that he is already laying out the groundwork for a further two seasons. With filming on Doctor Who season 14 having concluded in July and work on the following season beginning just over four months later, the gap between productions more closely matches the breaks between seasons 1, 2, 3, and 4’s respective productions. As such, it is likely that Doctor Who season 15 could be ready to air in 2025, marking a return to the yearly release structure seen previously under Davies.
With much excitement surrounding Gatwa’s Doctor Who new era, season 15’s production announcement is sure to leave audiences delighted. Not only will seasonal specials return in this new era, but the quick turnaround seemingly confirms that viewers can expect new on-screen Doctor Who every year. Furthermore, with Davies’ offering regular news and casting updates during season 14’s filming, there may not be as long a wait before learning who else may join the Fifteenth Doctor in season 15.
