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October 4th, 2015 50 comments

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Big Finish The War Doctor 1 Only The Monstrous

Available to order from www.bigfinish.com

Three new battles for The War Doctor

1. The Innocent

2. The Thousand Worlds

3. The Heart of Battle

Written By: Nicholas Briggs
Directed By: Nicholas Briggs
Cast

John Hurt (The War Doctor), Jacqueline Pearce (Cardinal Ollistra), Lucy Briggs-Owen (The Nursemaid), Carolyn Seymour (The Slave). Beth Chalmers (Veklin), Alex Wyndham (Seratrix), Kieran Hodgson (Bennus), Barnaby Edwards (Arverton), Mark McDonnell (Traanus) John Banks (Garv) and Nicholas Briggs as The Daleks.


In December 2015, the Time War will rage and only one man can save us. John Hurt is The War Doctor!

John Hurt, the world-renowned star of film and television, is returning to the role of The War Doctor, in twelve full-cast Doctor Who audio plays.

The War Doctor was introduced for Doctor Who’s Fiftieth Anniversary, and played a key part in the record-breaking television special The Day of the Doctor, alongside David Tennant and Matt Smith’s Doctors. He is the secret incarnation of the Time Lord — but he has shunned the title ‘Doctor’ in order to fight in the Time War against the Daleks.

“I have been a huge fan of John since first seeing him in the repeats of I, Claudius in the 1980s and in his Oscar-nominated role as the eponymous The Elephant Man,’ says Big Finish executive producer Jason Haigh-Ellery. ‘Watching his performance in The Day of the Doctor I did find myself fantasising that some far off day we might have the chance to work with him on the audio adventures of Doctor Who and now two short years later it’s happened! John wove a fantastic character together from a great script by Steven Moffat. Now we have the chance to get to know that character more and hear John stretch in the role. We’re all in for a hell of a ride as the War Doctor engages in battle. But who are the greater threat – the Daleks or the Time Lords?”

bf-war

The audio adventures of The War Doctor will be told over four box sets, each containing three linked hour-long episodes. The first box set is entitled Only The Monstrous, and is written and directed by Nicholas Briggs, whose many successes for Big Finish include the BBC Audio Award-winning masterpiece Doctor Who: Dark Eyes.

“The story of the Doctor who refuses to call himself the Doctor in order to do the unthinkable upon the ultimate battlefield — all of space and time — was irresistible to me,” says Nicholas. “Such a deeply disturbing and engaging character created by the formidable talents of writer Steven Moffat and actor John Hurt. It’s such a privilege to be working on this.”

The cast of The War Doctor also includes Jacqueline Pearce, who plays Time Lord Cardinal Ollistra — an arch manipulator who is waging the Time War against the Daleks. Jacqueline’s work includes The Avengers, Callan, Doctor Who: Death Comes to Time, Moondial and Russell T Davies’ Dark Season, and she is known to many science fiction fans for her role as Servalan in the cult classic Blake’s 7.

Only The Monstrous will be released in December 2015, and will be followed in February 2016 by the second volume, Infernal Devices, which is written by John Dorney, Phil Mulryne and Matt Fitton. Volumes Three and Four are currently in pre-production.

“What an utter privilege it is to work with such an iconic actor, playing such a brilliantly devised role,” says producer David Richardson. “This is Doctor Who at its darkest — the era in which our hero casts aside his core values in order to try and save the galaxy in its most terrible hour. We promise bold and brilliant story-telling with gripping character drama, and epic and cinematic audio productions.”

In addition to The War Doctor, November 2017 also sees a prequel box set to the saga, Doctor Who: The Eighth Doctor — The Time War, which will follow the early stages of the Time War from the Eighth Doctor’s perspective. Paul McGann stars, alongside characters first introduced in the War Doctor box sets.

You can pre-order all four box sets of Doctor Who: The War Doctor, plus Doctor Who: The Eighth Doctor – The Time War today from the Big Finish website, priced just £20 each on both CD and Download, or all five available in a single bundle for easy ordering. Pre-orders on CD have free UK postage, and anyone buying on CD through the Big Finish website gets access to the Download version on release.


Categorised under: Audio stories, Big Finish, CD, Special Releases

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50 comments

  • DannyTheNerd

    December 15th, 2015 - 1:38pm

    booboo when’s this out? It know its sometime this month, but when this month?

    Reply
    • DannyTheNerd

      December 15th, 2015 - 1:40pm

      No need to answer that just found out

  • SkovoxBlizter

    October 11th, 2015 - 9:11pm

    Yes!

    Reply
  • Skaldak456

    October 5th, 2015 - 10:22pm

    Sorry, another question off topic. But does anyone know the delivery times for big finish cds in the UK. It says maximum 28 days on their site but I didn’t know if that is the average waiting time for delivery???

    Reply
    • PedroPete

      October 6th, 2015 - 8:01am

      My last one took two weeks.

    • Skaldak456

      October 6th, 2015 - 8:18am

      Glad you get the digital download then haha.
      What about pre orders?? Are they generally quicker in delivery??

    • Skaldak456

      October 6th, 2015 - 8:20am

      Glad you get the digital download then haha.
      Are pre orders generally quicker??

    • Rufus

      October 8th, 2015 - 9:15pm

      Yeah pre orders come quickly usually within a week of release but will be different for more popular items

  • velvetdoctor

    October 5th, 2015 - 10:04pm

    I’ve been waiting for this since the 50th. I’ve never bought a Big Finish Adventure before, can anyone tell me if they’re worth buying for £20 please? 🙂

    Reply
    • 76 Totters Lane

      October 5th, 2015 - 10:22pm

      Definitely.

    • velvetdoctor

      October 5th, 2015 - 10:38pm

      What do you recommend as a jumping on point for big finish?

    • rusty

      October 5th, 2015 - 10:44pm

      Dark eyes or the last adventure

    • velvetdoctor

      October 5th, 2015 - 10:49pm

      Thanks guys I’ll definitely have a listen to some soon 🙂

    • 76 Totters Lane

      October 6th, 2015 - 12:28am

      ‘The Light at the End’ or ‘Doom Coalition’ as well.

    • Anonymous

      October 6th, 2015 - 8:01am

      Thanks

    • Rufus

      October 8th, 2015 - 9:18pm

      My favourites are 8th doctor and lucy miller series, blood tide, emerald tiger, enemy of the daleks, too many, but like all who different strokes for different folks! they keep me sane on the bus to work!

    • James Woods

      October 15th, 2015 - 10:02am

      Absolutely worth buying. For a jump on point I’d recommend where I started off with ‘Blood of the Daleks’.

  • Skaldak456

    October 5th, 2015 - 9:43pm

    Booboo… was wondering if you could help.. what are the exact dates for the likes of torchwood fall to earth, unit extinction and this please. As on their site it only gives the month and not the actual date. If you could help I’d be grateful 🙂

    Reply
    • booboo

      October 5th, 2015 - 9:51pm

      i dont think they have ever given exact dates, i dont know anymore than what they show to be honest

    • Skaldak456

      October 5th, 2015 - 10:15pm

      Ok cheers

  • 100000BC

    October 5th, 2015 - 7:08pm

    YES!
    John Hurt finally can be the Doctor – much like they did with Paul McGann, Big Finish will turn a “one-off” Doctor into a fully fledged Doctor.
    It makes sense that John is their first New Series Doctor – much like they did introducing first Paul McGann and then the Companion Chronicles, it expands their coverage of the Doctor’s life without leaving a gap in between which they cannot cover.

    Meanwhile the Churchill Years seems to be a narrated story without the input of Doctor actors (probably). Will any more ‘revival series’ Doctors – or companions – join the Big Finish line-up?

    Reply
    • 100000BC

      October 5th, 2015 - 7:09pm

      Judging by what he’s said more recently about his leaving being to do with an argument within the BBC, Eccleston’s involvement with BF is, although unlikely, still possible (he may, on the other hand, do a Tom Baker and refuse for a while). Tennant has previously done BFs (before he became the Doctor) and I’m sure he would be willing if his busy schedules allowed. Smith similarly, but unless the BBC give BF the power previously granted to BBC-based companies such as BBC audio and BBC books, I doubt they would let BF use the current Doctor Peter Capaldi.

    • 100000BC

      October 5th, 2015 - 7:12pm

      As for the companions:
      Jack and River have already joined BF, Martha could join via Torchwood.
      Catherine Tate and Jenna Coleman read stories for the Destiny of the Doctor series.
      Arthur Darvill has been in BFs before.
      Other companion actors have also read audioGo audiobooks and I imagine most would be willing to participate.

      Although to be honest, I’m happy with the amazing things that Big Finish are already doing!

    • Rufus

      October 8th, 2015 - 9:20pm

      There was a rumour doing the rounds on t internet maybe last week that they were doing a doctor Donna series..

  • Balakin

    October 5th, 2015 - 6:29pm

    Holy …..!!!
    Can’t believe John Hurt is back as the War Doctor!!! I’m over the moon right now. Must have!

    Reply
  • JellyBaby100

    October 5th, 2015 - 4:36pm

    Oh my god. Oh my god. Oh my god. And it’s only two months away! squee!

    Reply
  • DOCTOR WHO ONE

    October 5th, 2015 - 4:20pm

    Anyone else looking at the drills on the cover thinking of the Mole from ‘Thunderbirds’ ?.

    Guess the Dalek’s are big fan’s of Gerry Anderson 🙂

    Reply
  • 2doctors2000

    October 5th, 2015 - 4:01pm

    OOOHH MMYYY GOD!
    Just gets better and better, they never fail to amaze me! Big Finish you are literally the fan that makes things possible. Big Finish pull of things that the fans always hope for but never expect in a million years. I always thought this would be awesome, but never expected it to happen!

    Reply
  • Clara Oswald

    October 5th, 2015 - 3:17pm

    AHHHHH! CAN’T WAIT! #EXCITED

    Reply
  • Gordon

    October 5th, 2015 - 12:59pm

    Fantastic news. Big finish is just getting better and better. Nothing against the Tennant and Tate rumour but this is far more exciting. Totally unexpected (especially with johns health) unlike Tennant/Tate which I’ve expected to happen at some point

    Reply
  • Vortexsurfer

    October 5th, 2015 - 10:48am

    Between this and the recent The Sixth Doctor Last Adventure, Big Finish have done what I have been wishing for for a long time.

    I do hope they can get Timothy Dalton to reprise his Rassilon for one of the later box sets. That would just be the icing on the cake. That and have the Master running from the Cruciform with Alex Macqueen.

    Reply
  • DannyTheNerd

    October 5th, 2015 - 10:28am

    So this is about the war doctor during the time war? MUST HAVE!!!

    Reply
  • Anonymous

    October 5th, 2015 - 10:06am

    This is the news I was hoping for. Its too soon to bring back 10 and 11 and 9 will never happen…..Can’t WAIT!

    I recommend every true fan to read/listen to Engines of War – excellent story! However, BF’s Audio Dramas will really embed the War Doctor into the show;s mythology!

    Reply
    • Anonymous

      October 5th, 2015 - 12:53pm

      Not impossible that we’ll hear from The Ninth Doctor again, Eccelston’s problems were with the BBC, not with the show or the character. It’s probably the only way we ever will get him back.

    • Anonymous

      October 5th, 2015 - 4:01pm

      Yeah…I can see him doing a one-off story – it doesn’t appear he likes to commit himself to anything long term. Truth be told, I think its too soon for 9th Doctor Stories. It would be great, however that after the 8th Doctor Time War story and the War Doctor series, they do a 9th Doctor story set between his regeneration and meeting Rose – as the announced stories already take us well into 2016/17, then we could be talking another 2 years…which would then be a good time for 9 to re-surface. Hope we don’t get 10 and 11 for a go few more years yet.

  • booboo

    October 5th, 2015 - 9:57am

    comments below were left before the announcement

    Reply
  • Gordon

    October 5th, 2015 - 7:04am

    I would have said galifrey related but seeing as the next release has been pushed back till October next year it seems unlikely. Was also thinking of a time war box set (the hashtag fits) but with John hurts health issues It seems less likely it even though I have heard he has been doing audios for other things. I do think doom coalition is a strong possibility (the logo is in the background of the first cover) with casting info for 3 and 4 with Timothy dalton back as rasalon (it’s his seal after all plus it means finding out how he got free of the divergent universe) or even John hurt which would be the only other casting for this to “rock our worlds”. Don’t think it’s tennant as the seal doesnt really link to him plus the hashtag doesn’t really fit his doctor.

    Reply
  • DOCTOR WHO ONE

    October 5th, 2015 - 6:54am

    Hate to point this out, but that Seal of Rassilon is backwards.

    Reply
  • cyberdoctor42

    October 4th, 2015 - 10:28pm

    I feel that as a community, doctor who fans love vague teasers. I know I do.

    Reply
  • TheDaleksDeath

    October 4th, 2015 - 8:34pm

    Maybe this confirms the 10th Doctor and Donna audios that were rumoured?

    Reply
  • JellyBaby100

    October 4th, 2015 - 8:33pm

    It couldn’t be Doctors 10/11 returning could it? (I’d say Eccleston but that would be pushing my luck a bit)

    Reply
  • Tomscape1218

    October 4th, 2015 - 8:20pm

    But this has got me intrigued.

    Reply
  • Tomscape

    October 4th, 2015 - 8:15pm

    It’s either Doom Coalition or a Galifrey announcement. The reason I think it could be Doom Coalition is because the main antagonist is a Time Lord Prisoner and all covers so far all seem to have a link with Galifrey.

    Reply
    • Doctorfan

      October 4th, 2015 - 9:20pm

      Hope it’s not doom coalition separate covers cause I’ve had them on my computer for a week

  • Andy Thorpe

    October 4th, 2015 - 8:15pm

    I know what the announcement is. David Tennant and Catherine Tate will be reprising their roles as the 10th Doctor and Donna Noble respectively in brand new audio adventures. Big Finish have acquired the license of new who.

    Reply
    • Some bloke

      October 4th, 2015 - 10:09pm

      I don’t think they would represent that announcement with the seal of Rassilon which predominantly relates to the Gallifrey series…so I expect it’s ‘Gallifrey’ related!

    • Gordon

      October 5th, 2015 - 7:06am

      The latest release was delayed from January till October next year so I would rule it out

    • Some bloke

      October 5th, 2015 - 9:17am

      possibly doom coalition then

  • Zygon63

    October 4th, 2015 - 7:52pm

    Big Finish producer David Richardson tweeted:
    “Make sure you catch this announcement tomorrow. It will rock your world. #OnlytheMonstrous https://t.co/6KCrjwYaR3
    Sounds exciting!

    Reply
  • TheOncomingStorm

    October 4th, 2015 - 7:39pm

    ooooh, tease

    Reply

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