BBC News - Doctor Who 'to be made into film'

Dr Who is to be taken to the big screen by Harry Potter director David Yates.

Yates, who directed the last four Potter films, told Variety that he is about to start work on developing a “Doctor Who” film with the BBC.

He told the showbiz magazine that the film would take a fresh approach to the cult sci-fi show.

“We’re going to spend two to three years to get it right. It needs quite a radical transformation to take it into the bigger arena,” he said.

“Russell T. Davies and then Steven Moffat have done their own transformations, which were fantastic, but we have to put that aside and start from scratch,” he said.

Yates is reported to be working with the head of LA-based BBC Worldwide Productions, Jane Tranter.

A BBC spokesman said: “A Doctor Who feature film remains in development with BBC Worldwide Productions in Los Angeles. T

“The project is unlikely to reach cinemas for several years and as yet there is no script, cast or production crew in place.”

Doctor Who began in 1963, and seven actors played the Doctor before the show was dropped in 1989.

After a TV movie in 1996 - starring Paul McGann - the TV series returned in 2005 with Christopher Eccleston in the lead role. David Tennant took over in the same year.

The sixth series of Doctor Who, starring Matt Smith as the Doctor, broadcast on BBC earlier this year.