Torchwood Series 4 Title and Info Revealed! Plus some News regarding the Return of James Marsters

Torchwood creator and showrunner Russell T Davies and executive producer Julie Gardner provided some fresh information regarding the upcoming series 4 of Torchwood this past Saturday (August 7).

For starters, Zap 2 It reports that the title of series 4 is Torchwood: The New World. The website is right to report that the title does give the series somewhat of a ''Pocahontas'' feel when you hear it. Not sure I like the title for now. Hope it'll grow on me or that they will change it.

Now on to more news.

Davies reveals that the new Torchwood storyline ''is something that's been ticking away in the back of my head for a long while," following the success of Torchwood: Children of Earth - which sort of took Davies by surprise.

Of the new, overarching 10-part storyline, Davies says that it :

[...] has this global sweep to it which is justified by the story. I hate to say 'international in scope' because it usually means a scene set in Berlin for no reason.

The show's creator and showrunner also confirmed that most of the series will take place in the US and abroad but that it will also return to it's Welsh roots. Executive producer Julie Gardner says that :

The Welsh setting still features in a really significant way as we move forwards so when we start filming in January, we will start filming in Wales. There will be beautiful landscapes. Gwen Cooper is still that character. She's still Welsh. Her story will take place in the U.S. but also very much in the UK, so that flavor of Wales will be very apparent.

Davies reveals that the storyline will take place right after the events of Torchwood: Children of Earth, and that it will deal with Captain Jack Harkness' (John Barrowman) state of mind after the tragic events that took place in the last series which saw the death of his lover, Ianto Jones, and Captain Jack's ultimate sacrifice of his grand-son in order to save all of Earth's children.

Torchwood: The New World will also see the return of Gwen Cooper (Eve Myles) as well as that of her husband Rhys Williams (Kay Owen) and their baby (Gwen learned she was pregnant during the events of Children of Earth). We will also see the introduction of new character Rex Matheson, a CIA agent, who as yet to be cast. Of Matheson, Davies says that:

Rex has no idea what Torchwood is and has to investigate. Torchwood has been destroyed. It's like a legend now, it's almost ceased to exist a long time ago and is spoken only of in whispers. We also have a watch analyst at the CIA called Esther. The two of them become embroiled in the Torchwood legend and investigate what Torchwood is or was and they find themselves on the run and meeting Captain Jack and Gwen, having to decide whether they're friends, whether they're enemies. It's a decision that takes a long time to be decided. That's part of the 10 episodes is the two teams coming together, a lot of sparks, a lot of excitement.

To my chagrin, however, Russell T Davies confirmed that we wont see Captain John Hart (James Marsters) when Torchwood returns, but he is keeping the door open for the character to return in future series. I had mentioned here that James Marsters was very keen on coming back to Torchwood. Let's hope it WILL happen in the near future.

As a bonus, the showrunner confirmed that since the series is on Starz - a premium cable channel that doesn't shy away from nudity or the occasional sex scene (you have to see Spartacus if you haven't yet. Not only is it a wonderful series but it contains a lot of nudity and sex) - there could be the occasional nude sex scene but only if the story demands it. In Davies' words: ''There's nothing worse than a great big global international thriller that stops for a sex scene. Get on with it please.''

Also, there is some good news for the international fans of the show: When the series will air both in the UK and the US, the scheduling will be very close on both side of the pond. All I can add to this is hooray!! There's nothing worse, in my opinion, than delays between airings of a popular series in different countries.

Torchwood: The New World will begin filming in Wales in January 2011, and the series is set to air on Starz in the summer.

[Zap2It]

So, what do you think of the Torchwood series 4 title and where do you think the series is heading? Good or bad? To early to tell? Chime in!

Torchwood to go USA!!

FOX is developping a US version of Torchwood, the sucessful Doctor Who spinoff!

The original creating team of Russell T. Davies and Julie Gardner is on board the project and apparently the sorylines will be more global rather than UK based.

The project is from the BBC Worldwide Production and Davies will be writing the scripts.

It also appears that some of the Torchwood cast - which now limits itself to John Barrowman as Captain Jack Harkness and Eve Myles as Gwen Cooper may star in the US version. Most likely Barrowman will be the ideal candidate.

In my opinion, this is most likely a whole new Torchwood Team based in the USA and definitely not a remake. Captain Jack Harkness may now be saving the world from somewhere in North America. All I can say is WOW!!! This is Big news.

Source

CBR Doctor Who Roundtable with David Tennant and Julie Gardner

In a roundtable interview recently published by Comic Book Ressources, David Tennant and Julie Gardner had quite a few many things to say about the beloved Time Lord and his final adventures in his Tenth incarnation. Listed below are some of the interview highlights.

Tennant talked about the evolution of the Tenth Doctor, that it evolves through the script and that:

“Inevitably things happen a little more subconsciously than that, as well, but on a conscious level you take it from the script. The character develops from what I took off the page, and then what the writers take from what they've seen. It's kind of an ongoing process.”

Gardner mentioned that sometimes subtle script elements become more major, for example this idea that he is the last of the Time Lords:

“The idea that he's the last of his kind was a very new thing,” Gardner said.
“But that's going to come back in a big way in the final stories,” Tennant added. “The Doctor being the last of his kind, or nearly the last of his kind.”

Both Tennant and Gardner say that there were ''surprisingly few discussions'' about how Tennant should play the Doctor.

Tennant joked that he was the the best actor Russell T. Davies could get after Davies could not get the Best one:

“Yeah, and you can't get him, so you get me,” Tennant joked.
“What was it Russell [T. Davies] said in the read-through? 'It's fantastic to work with such great actors, you're the best in your price range,'” Gardner recalled.

They talked about the very demanding physicality of the role but Tennant said he did not know what Steven Moffat had in mind for the Eleventh Doctor:

“Well, it has been. It isn't necessarily,” Tennant said. “We don't know what Steven [Moffat, oncoming writer-producer] and Matt [Smith, the next Doctor] are going to do--maybe he'll sit in a chair for four years. It's something we've developed over the years, the running and the exploding.”

David Tennant also talked about how he feels about his character and his own emotional state tied into the character:

“You kind of see what the story's going to be and that takes you on an emotional journey in itself,” Tennant said. “Those final stories are pretty emotional.”

They also talked about the many apologies the Doctor as muttered since the new series began. 120 times to be exact (someone has kept count!) The answer comes from the fact that the Doctor feels guilty. Gardner had this to say:

“I always think the Doctor is at his best and at his most exciting when he's suffering. . .I do! I love him as this tragic sufferer. Particularly when you're hanging off the wire.”
“That's not him suffering, that's me,” Tennant said. “Chaffing.”

They discussed the return of Jack, Donna, her grandfather Wilf, the Master and a mysterious character played by Timothy Dalton (whom everyone believes will be a Time Lord).

When asked whether he was able to “spirit away” a sonic screwdriver, the Doctor's signature tool, Tennant said he was actually presented with one:

“Yeah, I was very touched to get given one as I left. I don't know if this means, have they got new ones or—? [The Eleventh Doctor] might not even have one now. He might have a... sonic...”
“Pencil,” Gardner suggested.
“I have no idea if they're now one down or they don't need it anymore,” Tennant said. “But I've got one now in my house, which I'm very proud of.”

This interview is much more longer and has a few more things about the filming of Planet of the Dead and Midnight. Go here to read it all!

Doctor Who gets Animated in Dreamland

The BBC Press Office has released today the first picture of it's BBC animated Doctor Who special called Dreamland. The animation will be broadcasted this year in the fall.

This is part of the Press release that you can find here:

The six-part series will be premièred via the BBC Red Button on BBC One and the Doctor Who website (bbc.co.uk/doctorwho).

The 45-minute long animation will be broadcast in its entirety on CBBC on BBC Two this autumn and also on the BBC HD channel.

Written by Phil Ford (Doctor Who, Torchwood, The Sarah Jane Adventures) Dreamland will see the Doctor – played by David Tennant – arrive at the infamous alien hot spot, Roswell.
During a visit to a local diner he stumbles upon a mysterious alien artefact that leads him on a mission to rescue Rivesh Mantilax from the threat of the Viperox and the clutches of the American military.

Joining David Tennant will be Georgia Moffett (Doctor Who, Spooks) in the role of Cassie Rice – the Doctor's new animated companion.

David Warner (Wallander, Hogfather) also stars as the leader of the ruthless Viperox.

In the run-up to the animation, fans will be able to visit the Doctor Who website (bbc.co.uk/doctorwho) to follow a behind-the-scenes production blog on the making of Dreamland, giving the opportunity to follow the progress of the animation as it develops.

Dreamland was commissioned by BBC Drama Multiplatform and will be produced for the BBC by Brighton-based animation company Littleloud.

It is being executive produced by Russell T Davies, Julie Gardner and Piers Wenger, with Gary Russell as director.

The BBC really has every intention to have the Tenth Doctor go out in style before he transforms into Matt Smith's Eleventh one. They are multiplying every efforts to put him everywhere. First, he'll be on The Sarah Jane Adventures and then he'll have his own animated series! If the entire animation looks as good as this picture, we are in for a real treat!

Click here for the high res pic!

Thanks to Rosy for the heads up!

A Mystery to the Actors as to How David Tennant will Leave Doctor Who

A scoop from Digital Spy reveals that most of the actors that filmed the final episode of Doctor Who with David Tennant have no idea how he will go.

Digital Spy reporter Dan French talked with Robin Hood actor David Harewood (he plays Friar Tuck on the BBC series), who's character's name is Joshua Naismith, who had this to say:

''No - we only got four pages, so most of us didn't get to see. I think we'll all be checking in on Christmas Day''

He also talked about the atmosphere on the set during filming of the final episodes:

"I'd say it was very charged - people were in tears. It was the end of a very successful partnership. It was obviously David's last outing, and it was also Russell's last outing and Julie Gardner's last outing. So everyone was saying goodbye to what had been a very successful partnership."

The actor also revealed that he filmed scenes with John Simm who plays the Master.

Sources: Digital Spy and IO9