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Ncuti Gatwa Takes Matt Smith’s Place In 2013 Doctor Who Movie, Fans Are Confused

Ncuti Gatwa Takes Matt Smith’s Place In 2013 Doctor Who Movie, Fans Are Confused
Image credit: BBC One

A perfect gift for long-time Doctor Who stans.

Summary:

  • Doctor Who is an iconic British science fiction television show that has been on the air since 1963.
  • The show celebrates its birthday on November 23rd, the day William Hartnell made his first appearance as the first Doctor.
  • This year, the 60th anniversary will be celebrated with 3 special episodes starring David Tennant and Catherine Tate, but that's not all.

If there's one thing that can make a fan of any show happier, it's seeing a piece of their favorite universe come to life. This is why adults all over the world dress up for conventions and buy tons of merch to feel a little closer to the story they enjoy so much. Unfortunately, some shows are more difficult to bring to life than others.

You have to be a person of impeccable imagination to recreate the atmosphere of a fantasy like House of the Dragon, because we don't see those flying creatures in our everyday lives yet, or a sci-fi adventure like Doctor Who, because there's no way to travel through time yet. At least that is what most people thought.

In reality, however, the creators of Britain's most famous selfless alien have their own ideas about how to bend the rules of time and space and influence the minds of viewers. They've demonstrated their powers with a simple yet effective gift to fans for Doctor Who's 60th anniversary.

Doctor Who 60th Anniversary Celebration

Ncuti Gatwa Takes Matt Smith’s Place In 2013 Doctor Who Movie, Fans Are Confused - image 1

The most important gift for all loyal Whovians is, of course, the three upcoming specials starring David Tennant and Catherine Tate as the 14th Doctor and Donna Noble.

But even though they will premiere over the course of three weeks starting November 25th, and the anniversary is traditionally celebrated on November 23rd, the creators couldn't leave viewers hanging. They came up with a little surprise of their own, hidden in the movie An Adventure in Space and Time, released 10 years ago in 2013.

When the movie was just released, William Hartnell was confronted by then-Doctor Matt Smith. It was a beautiful moment of approval to continue the decades-long story of adventures in space and time. At the time, many people didn't understand why Smith had to be added to the film using CGI.

Now, 10 years later, as the legacy of the show lives on in completely new faces with new stories, it is clear that the idea was to show the continuity of Doctor Who. An Adventure in Space and Time should always remain relevant and have a face that represents the show in a given time period.

Ncuti Gatwa Takes Matt Smith’s Place In 2013 Doctor Who Movie, Fans Are Confused - image 2

While for Ncuti Gatwa 's 15th Doctor this appearance was a nice introduction and nod of approval, for fans it was a fun reminder that the Doctor will always be able to change the past. Even if it is the 10-year-old movie you know every second of.

Tune in to Disney Plus on November 25th for the first of three upcoming Doctor Who 60th anniversary specials. And get ready to meet Ncuti Gatwa's 15th Doctor in a contemporary timeline during the holiday season.