Oh, I hope this isn’t true (via Digital Spy):
Matt Smith reportedly plans to quit Doctor Who next year.
The actor, who is currently filming the show’s Christmas special, hopes to crack Hollywood by landing more movie roles, reports The Sun.
“Matt plans to quit after the next series,” a friend told the paper.
“He is eager to try new things and thinks Hollywood beckons.”
He’ll get chewed up by Hollywood, which won’t know what to do with him… except all it knows to do with any odd-looking actor with a British accent: cast him as cartoonish villains.
Plus, I like him too much as the Doctor to see him go so soon.
(Thanks to reader Martha for the heads-up. If you stumble across a cool Doctor Who thing, feel free to email me with a link.)
It’s not that I think this story is or isn’t true, but the parade of “The Doctor is quitting!” stories are inevitable at this juncture. I’m not concerned yet. It’s perfect pageview fodder, and this is the perfect time to start churning the rumors up.
It’s DIGITAL SPY. They never seem to be a proper reliable resource, they just take pieces of gossip stories and repost it. Plus, there is no way Matt should ever EVER leave Doctor Who. At least for a few years. I want to see Matt stick around for a good stretch of time, cause he’s too fabulous in Doctor Who already to leave.
didn’t the same rumors crop up at about the same time in Tennant’s run? I even remember Tennant saying he started to get asked about his departure nearly as soon as his casting was announced. I hope it’s not true, I quite like him, plus it’s too soon for another change!
I wish, actually, that it was true of Karen Gillan. I’m sorry but Amy Pond character is so ruining this season for me so far (am up to the Lodger). I’ve never disliked a New Who companion before and it’s very disconcerting!
Wait, being Doctor Who shouldn’t be that hard. You get up, wear funky clothes, talk about reversing the polarity flow, run up and down a few quarrys, earn a hot tub full of money and boom, there’s the weekend.
I mean, the only downside I can think of is the awkward stares you get if you head out to a comic con to look for that issue of Ghostbusters comic book you can’t find in the stores anymore.
I think the original story came from the Sun. From what I’ve been told on the message boards they have an almost annual “Actor X is quitting Doctor Who” since the beginning of Tennant’s run.
I also can’t picture him as Hollywood, why in God’s name would he want to go to that hellhole. At least in the UK he can get some decent scrips. Is Daisy based in California?
And anyway, they say he’s thinking about it. The writers would need at least a season to write him out if he said he decided that he wanted to leave, that gives us at least through 2012 with him as the Doctor.
Considering I accidentally started a rumour that went all over the world over one silly throw away comment – I know see how easy it is for these things to take on a life of their own. I don’t believe a word of this one.
I sincerely hope this isn’t true – after my general adoration of David Tennant and my worry about Matt Smith, I surprised myself by how quickly I took to him as the Doctor. I thought he was utterly fantastic this season and I’d be thrilled to see him stick around for a few more seasons.
Wasn’t it the Sun that reported for sure that some other actor had been cast as Eleven? They’re always running DW rumours and they’re always wrong.
I think this can be taken with a TARDIS sized pinch of salt.
The story ‘originated’ from The Sun newspaper/excuse for toilet roll (delete as applicable).
First thing to remember, is that Matt Smith is more than likely to be under contract for at least another year (I think I heard that it’s for three years at least). The production team are not going to let a good thing slip away from them so fast.
Besides – we don’t even KNOW if there will be a series 7 yet! Or if it has been announced, I haven’t heard and am ready to stand corrected.
As others have, quite rightly pointed out, this is just rumour mongering – if it’s not that the ratings are falling, then the lead actor is leaving – it’s all just to create page views/sell newspapers.
Which is what Who does right now, for good or ill;)
Matt’s got a three yr contract but I think Amy might only have a 2 yr one.
Say it isn’t so! I can believe that this is a rumor spread out of control, .. I certainly want it to be. I never thought I’d like Matt Smith, and it would be like having candy taken away if he leaves. The only person I know here in the States who didn’t say “Who?” when I mentioned David Tennant is the DirectTV tech support guy on the phone the other day. Can’t believe that Matt Smith would find an easy way into Hollywood either.
@kathleen, which rumor did you have a hand in? I was once blamed for starting a rumor that David Duchovny was going to appear in the Men in Black sequel. It wasn’t my fault, I swear…!
As Lisa mentioned above, Matt has a long-term contract (though I thought it was for four years). It was set up this way to avoid all the speculation of departure that followed DT year after year. I guess the sites don’t look at that as a hint to stop these stories after just his freshman year.
@PaulW . I posted a comment on a news website . it was kind of a joke and the next day they added the information I mentioned in a new article. Then everyone started commenting on it on other sites. And that my friends is how easy these rumours start.
NOOOOO!!! I love Matt too much! He deserves at least as long a run as Tennant had.
Hey look, fan-made Dr. Who anime:
http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/interest/2010-07-15/fan-made-anime-inspired-doctor-who-project