If you’re a Doctor Who fan craving something new, this one’s going to grab you fast. The next spin-off is officially happening, and fans everywhere are already gearing up to watch War Between The Land And The Sea when it drops. This mini-series takes the Doctor out of the picture and shows what happens when humanity is forced to face a huge threat on its own.
Below, we break down everything that has been confirmed so far — release details, story, cast, and how you’ll be able to stream War Between The Land And The Sea wherever you are.
Since its noughties reboot we’ve seen a few spin-offs of Doctor Who…
Since Doctor Who returned in the 2000s, we’ve had several spin-offs — and now another one has been officially announced at Comic-Con. The War Between The Land And The Sea is a new mini-series that shows how humanity deals with a major threat without the Doctor stepping in.
The series focuses on UNIT, the government group that sometimes helps and sometimes complicates things for the Doctor, and protects Earth when he’s not there. This is a five-part mini-series with some confirmed details, though many things are still unknown.
Here you’ll find everything confirmed so far about the show, and this guide will be updated as new information comes out. Fans around the world are already preparing to watch War Between The Land And The Sea as soon as it arrives.
How to Watch The War Between the Land and the Sea?
You’ll be able to watch War Between The Land And The Sea in the UK on BBC iPlayer starting Sunday, December 7, 2025. International viewers will have to wait until 2026 for the five-part series to stream on Disney+.
If you’re a UK resident travelling abroad during its release, you can still watch War Between The Land And The Sea by following these steps:
- Install a reliable premium VPN like ExpressVPN on your device.
- Open the VPN and connect to a UK server.
- Go to BBC iPlayer and log into your account.
- Search for the show.
- Hit play and enjoy — you can now watch War Between The Land And The Sea from anywhere.
The War Between The Land And The Sea Release Date
There’s no exact release date yet for The War Between The Land And The Sea, but Disney has confirmed that filming begins in August. That means we’ll likely have to wait until the new year to see anything from the show.
We already know, however, how you’ll watch it: the mini-series will release on Disney+ worldwide except in the UK, where it will stream on iPlayer and air on BBC One. Many fans are waiting for updates so they can plan how to watch War Between The Land And The Sea the moment it goes live.
The War Between The Land And The Sea Plot
In this series, we’ll see the return of some familiar Doctor Who characters — but without the Doctor around. The show follows a mysterious ancient species living deep in the oceans: the Sea Devils. Fans may remember them from classic Doctor Who and the 2022 episode Legend of the Sea Devils.
When these creatures finally reveal themselves to humans, a war quickly begins between the two sides. UNIT steps in to figure out what’s happening and tries to stop the conflict before things get worse. As the world prepares to watch War Between The Land And The Sea, this plot is already building excitement.
The War Between The Land And The Sea Cast
A few big names have been confirmed for the cast — and no, the Doctor isn’t officially appearing (though a cameo is still possible).
Two Doctor Who characters are returning, along with two new faces whose roles haven’t been revealed. Fans will get to watch War Between The Land And The Sea with both returning and fresh talent on screen.
| Actor | Character | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Jemma Redgrave | Kate Lethbridge-Stewart | Commander of UNIT; long-time supporting character |
| Alexander Devrient | Colonel Christofer Ibrahim | UNIT officer; appeared in the latest season |
| Russell Tovey | TBA | Known for Being Human; previously appeared in DW special |
| Gugu Mbatha-Raw | TBA | Known for Loki and The Morning Show; may reprise old DW role |