HBO Looks to Acquire One of the World's Oldest Sci-Fi Franchises

4 days ago 9

Image via HBO

Published Feb 23, 2026, 12:47 PM EST

In over three years at Collider, senior author Jake has now penned over 2500 articles covering a wide range of TV and film for the resources, lists, utilities, news, and interview teams. Alongside interviewing stars such as Selin Hizli, Rose Ayling-Ellis, Harlan Coben, and Chelsea Peretti, Jake was lucky enough to visit the set of Aardman and Netflix's Wallace and Gromit: A Vengeance Most Fowl in 2024, getting the chance to chat with four-time Academy Award winner Nick Park and Merlin Crossingham. Jake has also worked for other publications, including Agents of Fandom.

Doctor Who's ever-twisting trip through a time vortex of uncertainty has just taken another eye-catching turn. Following a disappointing new era for the iconic timey-wimey series, helmed by returning showrunner Russell T. Davies, Doctor Who was left in a terribly uncertain state as it was confirmed there would be no new episodes until a Christmas special in 2026. This announcement came alongside the unsurprising news that the BBC had parted ways with Disney following a turbulent and ultimately disappointing partnership with the House of Mouse.

Previously, during the Edinburgh TV Festival, the BBC's chief content officer, Kate Phillips, promised fans that "Doctor Who is going nowhere," leading to a huge sigh of relief among the Whoniverse. However, given the current state of the Beeb and the clear intention to find a new partner to help globalize this already popular sci-fi brand, much more work needs to be done before Doctor Who can return in earnest.

Today, perhaps the biggest tease about the global future of the show has arrived via an interview with Lindsay Salt, director of BBC drama. In light of the BBC's partnership with HBO on new projects for recent breakout stars Richard Gadd (Baby Reindeer) and Michaela Coel (I May Destroy You), Salt was asked if HBO might prove the perfect home for Doctor Who. "We’ll wait and see how we figure it out. HBO have been great partners creatively. There’s a lot of stuff that is changing out there," Salt replied, clearly unable to rule out that possibility. Emphasizing that the show remains part of the BBC's future, she added:

"There are different ways of setting up a show. We just need to make sure we do it in the right way and make sure we take the right time to do it. Ultimately it’s one of the BBC’s most treasured brands, so it’s not going anywhere."

Many believe that, should Doctor Who return after its disastrous Disney partnership, it would have to do so with budget restrictions. In response to this, Salt said:

"I managed to walk into this job when the co-pro market imploded and I’ve learned a lot about the tenacity of producers and writers to make things at all budget levels. Things are getting funded in so many different ways now."

HBO is About to Make a New Splash Across the Pond

Ncuti Gatwa and Millie Gibson smile at each other in 'Doctor Who'

If HBO were to acquire international rights to Doctor Who, it would come at a time when the relationship between the production company and the Whoniverse's home country continues to blossom. It was previously announced that, as of March 26, 2026, HBO Max will finally be available in the UK and Ireland. This news came as production continues on the reimagining of Harry Potter for the small screen, which has now been confirmed to be debuting in early 2027.

The most recent Doctor Who is available on Disney+. Stay tuned to Collider for the latest updates.