Doctor Who: The Movie director Geoffrey Sax has revealed that he was approached to return to the series when it was revived in 2005 – but had to turn it down due to a scheduling conflict.
Sax directed the 1996 TV movie, which starred Paul McGann as the Eighth Doctor and was intended as a transatlantic relaunch for the BBC sci-fi series.
While the hoped-for US series never materialised, Doctor Who eventually returned to screens in 2005 under showrunner Russell T Davies, with Christopher Eccleston taking on the role of the Ninth Doctor.
Speaking at a BFI screening of Doctor Who: The Movie – restored in 4K for a new home media release – Sax revealed that he was actually in the frame to return for the revival, having previously worked with executive producer Julie Gardner on 2001 ITV drama Othello (also starring Eccleston).
“I’d been working with Julie Gardner, who brought it back… and then she approached me to do it, and I got sent the first two scripts, and they were absolutely fantastic,” he recalled.
However, despite being impressed by the scripts, Sax said he was unable to take on the episodes.
“I couldn’t do them, obviously – it was a scheduling conflict, and I’ve regretted it ever since, because they were really, really good.”
It means Sax came surprisingly close to being involved in two very different attempted Doctor Who relaunches: the 1996 TV movie, which bridged the gap between the classic era and the modern revival, and the 2005 series, which successfully reestablished the show as one of the BBC’s flagship dramas.
Sax also revealed that this was not the only time he was approached about returning to Doctor Who after the TV movie.
“Then I worked with Matt Smith on [2011 BBC TV film] Christopher and His Kind. And he said, ‘Would you like to [do] a Christmas special?’ And again, I couldn’t really do it.”
With a laugh, Sax added: “They’ve never asked me since.”
Sax’s TV movie remains one of the most intriguing chapters in Doctor Who history, introducing McGann’s romantic Eighth Doctor.
Although McGann’s Doctor only received one full TV story, his incarnation has gone on to become a firm fan favourite through Big Finish audio dramas and his 50th anniversary return in The Night of the Doctor.
Doctor Who: The Movie is set to return in a newly-restored edition for its 30th anniversary, having been brought back to life from the original 35mm film elements for the first time.
The release will be available as a Limited Edition Steelbook featuring the 90-minute adventure on both 4K UHD and Blu-ray, alongside standalone 4K and standard Blu-ray editions.
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