Doctor Who's Disney deal is over – what does it mean for the show's future?

The big question hanging over the future of Doctor Who has finally been answered, with confirmation arriving that Disney will not partner with the BBC on any future seasons.

The announcement puts an end to months of speculation about the series' fate, following 2025 finale The Reality War – but what exactly does it mean?

Well, after upcoming spin-off series The War Between the Land and the Sea, Doctor Who will return, with the BBC announcing that showrunner Russell T Davies will write a Christmas special for 2026.

Beyond that, Lindsay Salt (Director of Drama, BBC) has said the broadcaster will "be announcing plans for the next series in due course" – in line with Kate Phillips, the Beeb's chief content officer, emphasising the broadcaster's commitment to the show at this year's Edinburgh TV festival.

All the same, there are questions yet to be answered about the show's future – while nothing is confirmed yet, here's what the next stage of Doctor Who's existence might look like.

A new partner?

Disney's decision means that the creatives behind Doctor Who now have the freedom to shop the show around to other potential partners, including other streamers. Depending on when the decision was actually made, this could already be happening.

But would another partner pick up Doctor Who? The audience figures are not what they once were – but all the same, having a hand in such a long-running media franchise is surely tempting?

Netflix could come calling, with the streamer recently clearly taking an interest in expanding its family-friendly content, and targeting younger viewers with its expansive offering of anime.

Otherwise, Prime Video might want in on the Whoniverse. Amazon is no stranger to picking up a large franchise, producing The Lord of the Rings series The Rings of Power, and it may be looking for a sci-fi/fantasy replacement after cancelling beloved fantasy series The Wheel of Time.

That's not to say Doctor Who necessarily needs a new partner. But it would make one element a whole lot easier – the matter of money.

A lower budget?

The number might never have been confirmed, but there's no doubting that the Disney deal afforded Doctor Who an increased budget. Russell T Davies previously debunked claims that the budget was around £10 million per episode – but did declare it "handsome".

But, if the BBC doesn't find a new partner, that handsome budget will be gone – and with the TV industry facing a funding crisis, it's increasingly difficult to make a show like Doctor Who without an international partner.

That said, Doctor Who has the luxury of being able to work on a smaller budget if needed. Some fans will even argue they prefer it, as it feels like the show 'going back to its roots'.

As for how this will actually impact the show? Maybe we should lower our expectations when it comes to CGI and special effects innovations. For instance, the specially-constructed stage used to film the season 14 episode Boom, filled with LED screens, might not have been possible without the Disney budget.

Episodes might be slightly smaller-scale, and we may not get big-budget battles, or sequences with mountains of extras. However, as former showrunner Steven Moffat previously pointed out during a chat with RadioTimes.com, a lack of budget has often led to the show's best episodes.

The smaller budget – and Disney's departure – might also mean we'll also likely see a shift in the show's marketing, with less of a focus on targeting the US audience. Think less Jimmy Fallon, more Graham Norton!

A focus on the UK – and a return to appointment TV?

Obviously, the main element of the Disney deal was the global distribution of Doctor Who. Now this won't be handled by Disney, the powers-that-be will have to find another way for the show to reach international audiences.

The focus on UK viewers also might result in the reversing of one controversial change to Doctor Who's viewing habits - the midnight/8am release.

While Doctor Who had previously been appointment viewing, airing on Saturday evenings, the era of the Disney deal saw episodes being available on iPlayer and Disney Plus before being broadcast on TV (first at midnight and then, after some outrage, at 8am). If that decision was pushed by Disney, we could see a return to linear TV/hospitable hours for UK audiences being prioritised for Doctor Who.

Then again, other BBC properties including EastEnders have thrived under a similar model, with episodes being added to BBC iPlayer in the morning and being available to view on BBC One in the evening – so perhaps Doctor Who will continue to embrace the streaming age?

Fewer cooks in the kitchen?

It's not known how much creative control Disney had over Doctor Who – perhaps it was little to none.

However, the BBC and production company Bad Wolf will undoubtedly have more freedom to do whatever they want with the show without a big partner like Disney attached. While nothing is confirmed, perhaps the tone or style of the series could change...

As part of the deal, Disney commissioned 26 episodes, which were split into two seasons and a spin-off.

But fans have been crying out for longer seasons, and perhaps the powers that be will take this clean break as a sign to go back to that structure.

A new showrunner?

Beyond the 2026 Christmas special, Russell T Davies's involvement with Doctor Who hasn't been explicitly confirmed. He's previously spoken about having ideas for a third and fourth season but it's possible Ncuti Gatwa's exit last season, and Disney's departure, will have changed things.

The 2026 Christmas special could be a neat way to bookend Davies's return as showrunner – will he pass on the baton after that?

It's clearly something Davies has thought about, with the writer previously addressing the topic of his successor on David Tennant Does a Podcast With..., saying: "There's thinking about that, there’s conversations about that, but it’s hard. It’s a tricky one.

"But they [a successor] better exist… imagine, I’m dead at the desk. The cliché would kill me!"

Another reboot or a new era?

The Disney deal came with an entire reboot for Doctor Who, right down to referring to Gatwa's first batch of episodes as "season 1" – you might think it's too soon for that to happen again, but the show will at least be entering a new era, with Gatwa's departure last season.

Our guess is that Davies will take the Christmas 2026 special to wrap up some loose threads left after Gatwa's last episode, including Carole Ann Ford's mysterious return as Susan and, of course, what's happening with Billie Piper's return.

Assuming Piper isn't going to return for a full run as the Doctor, a new actor will then need to take on the mantle, to be the face of the show as it dives into a new chapter.

A break?

It's not impossible that Doctor Who could take a break after the 2026 Christmas special, but with the BBC continually reemphasising its commitment to the show and emphasising that announcements about another series are on the way, it would now seem more unlikely than before.

One way or another, Doctor Who will return to our screens – and the countdown to Christmas 2026 has officially begun.

Doctor Who is available to watch on BBC iPlayer.

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