14 Tales From The History Of Doctor Who From William Hartnell To Jodie Whittaker
7. The Different Version Of The Doctor We Nearly Had
Paul McGann stepped into the (now) half-human role of the Doctor in the 1996 movie. While time has been somewhat kinder to the movie than contemporary audiences were, there was originally a very different direction in which the film was headed.
McCoy was due to return for the part as was finally realized in the released cut. However, the role of the Doctor...was offered to Tim Curry!
Curry was originally delighted at the chance to play this character, finally one who wasn't a villain. Curry and McGann were working together on filming The Three Musketeers in 1993, and Curry approached McGann to ask him how he would play the character, were he cast.
Eventually, the industry standard occurred and filming schedules prevented Curry from taking on the role, allowing McGann to become The Doctor.
Between his initial appearance and his continued usage in the comics and Big Finish productions, McGann remained active with the role for years. He finally returned on-screen to depict his regeneration in 2013's The Night of the Doctor, where he also briefly played The War Doctor.