A new report suggests Disney’s partnership with the BBC on Doctor Who ended after efforts to “Marvel-ize” the iconic sci-fi franchise failed to deliver results.
According to Deadline, the collaboration fell apart due to high production costs and the show’s limited appeal beyond its core fan base. Episodes reportedly cost between £6 million ($8.5 million) and £8 million ($10.5 million), valuing the deal at up to £168 million ($221 million).
“It was pretty apparent from early on that this wasn’t for the long term,” a former Disney executive told Deadline. “Everyone got the impression that it wasn’t doing what it needed to do [on Disney+] to be sustained.” Another source added: “The writing has been on the wall for ages. There has been a complete lack of enthusiasm over at Disney.”
Neither Disney, BBC Studios, nor the BBC provided comment.
The BBC recently confirmed Doctor Who’s future with a Christmas 2026 special written by Russell T Davies and promised more episodes ahead. The announcement followed the official end of the Disney+ partnership after two seasons and the upcoming spinoff The War Between the Land and the Sea.
Following Ncuti Gatwa’s two-season tenure as the Doctor—marked by mixed reviews and the lowest ratings since 2005—fans questioned whether Davies would return. The BBC confirmed he will continue, with Mark Gatiss hinting the show may benefit from a creative “rest.”
BBC Director of Drama Lindsay Salt commented:
“We’d like to thank Disney+ for being terrific global partners and collaborators over the past two seasons, and for the upcoming The War Between the Land and the Sea. The BBC remains fully committed to Doctor Who… We can assure fans, the Doctor is not going anywhere.”
The War Between the Land and the Sea will debut later this year on BBC One and iPlayer. A Doctor Who animation for CBeebies is also in the works. The BBC has yet to announce a global streaming partner for the 2026 Christmas special.
Source: IGN