This weekend, Doctor Who kicked off its latest season starring Peter Capaldi as The Doctor and welcoming new companion Bill Potts, portrayed by ray of humorous joy Pearlie Mack. This isn’t just a standard season though (as standard as any of them are with all the timey wimey twists and turns) as it will be the last for Capaldi in the lead role as well as Stephen Moffat as the program’s showrunner. While the next showrunner is well in place at this point, the next Doctor hasn’t been publicly revealed just yet.
However, there are rumors swirling about the next casting, with 44-year old Kris Marshall now at the top of the list of possible replacements. According to reports from The Mirror, Marshall is such a likely replacement that British betting house Ladbrokes has taken him off the board. The actor would be a more outside-the-box choice coming off of Capaldi’s theatrical yet thoroughly emotional run, but the rumor may have some merit seeing as Marshall left his current job on Death in Paradise earlier this year.
If the rumor pans out, fans of the long-running Sci-fi series might not be overjoyed about the decision. Based on reactions from the rumor leaking alone, they would not be happy at all.
Kris Marshall as Doctor Who feels like one of those news stories that was actually a trap to identify a leak in the Doctor Who offices.
— Mark Donaldson (@Oldmankrondas) April 16, 2017
I want that 'Kris Marshall as the new Doctor" story to be false more than any other news story and I'm saying that in 2017.
— Chris Brosnahan (@ChrisBrosnahan) April 16, 2017
My wife is still in a blissful state of being where Kris Marshall isn't Doctor Who. I just can't bring myself to break the news to her.
— Chinny Honk (@ChinnyHonk) April 16, 2017
https://twitter.com/emjay_probably/status/853807551728799744
https://twitter.com/allysonrobinson/status/853803853317361664
Casting Kris Marshall as the Doctor feels far too safe/traditional/boring. The show needs a new direction, not the same old same old.
— Ethan Sills (@EthanTSills) April 17, 2017
https://twitter.com/APYorick/status/853799220783882240
Hate to be political but if Kris Marshall is the new doctor I'm gonna fly to Britain and shit on Steven Moffat's coffee table
— honour te titty (@cuntIin) April 17, 2017
Kris Marshall as the Doctor? pic.twitter.com/GJigwVjQ8O
— Sara Miller-Woods (@Millerita) April 17, 2017
Who is this Kris Marshall guy? How hard is it for you to make Richard Ayoade the next Doctor, BBC? I mean, c'mon…
— TJ (@omnipotentseal) April 17, 2017
I just remember Kris Marshall as the dopey big brother on My Family, so my hope for Doctor Who diminishes (if rumours are true)
— Just Jen 💪 (@dumblydore) April 17, 2017
https://twitter.com/SladeeKing/status/853794854375235586
Just found out that Kris Marshall is the new doctor… 😕😕😕
— Samantha Dalton ☾ (@samanthabrookeD) April 17, 2017
I didn't like Kris Marshall taking over Ben Miller in death in paradise and I doubt I'll like him taking over capaldi in doctor who.
— Simon Cutts (@SimonLCutts) April 17, 2017
The most important piece of information to arise from the latest rumors and interviews though, is the fact that Peter Capaldi has already filmed his death scene but hasn’t filmed the Christmas special yet. Doctors usually regenerate during the Christmas special, and that disparity could be easily explained if Capaldi was simply switching the role over to the new actor or actress during the season proper. But he also claimed he’s coming back to the Christmas special as well, so there’ definitely something wonky going on here. Everything will be explained in due time, including who the next Doctor turns out to be.
(via The Mirror)