6 Doctor Who Movies That Almost Happened
The blue box on the silver screen?
With such a long and varied history, it's highly surprising that Doctor Who has only rarely graced the big screen. In over 50 years, two (non-canon) movies from the 1960s and a mostly subpar TV movie is all there is for fans to sink their collective teeth into.
As the show continues to revel in worldwide success, boasting a heap of awards and a loyal fan base, the show runners continue to drag their feet on the prospect of a movie. Despite recent efforts by Sony and the BBC, there have not yet been any substantial developments, nor many cemented promises for the good Doctor to become a movie star.
This slowness is certainly not unique. Since the show's inception, numerous cinematic proposals have been pitched and even announced, before being delayed, rejected and ultimately exterminated.
It's no surprise that many great creative minds have tried over the years to get a film off the ground; the scope of Who is appropriate and the mythology is rich for an awesome, big budget sci-fi spectacle, but it never seems to get past pre-production.
Spearheaded by some surprising names and hindered by a variety of factors, these are the Who movies that never saw the light of day.
6. Dr. Who & The Chase
Designed to exploit Dalekmania in the mid-60s, "Dr Who & The Daleks" and "Daleks' Invasion Earth 2150 A.D." were Technicolor and (relatively) big budget remakes of the first two serials involving the galactic pepper-pots. Starring Hammer icon Peter Cushing as eccentric human scientist, "Dr. Who", these films were obviously not canon, but nevertheless deserve a place in history as typical works of 60s sci-fi - colourful, endearing and entertaining.
Before the commercial low of the second film, "The Chase" - the Doctor's third televisual encounter with the Daleks - was considered to round out the trilogy. Entitled "Daleks Vs. Mechons", it was likely to feature a crazy adventure involving Daleks, androids, tentacle monsters, the Mary Celeste and Dracula.
The idea never got past the discussion stage and no one seemed to care; Dalekmania had worn down by 1966 and the novelty of seeing Who in colour wasn't enough to warrant a franchise. To this day, the two Dalek movies remain the only theatrical Who adventures.