The world of Doctor Who is expanding, and with some familiar faces. But while some of the actors will be playing the same characters in the new spinoff, others are takin on different roles.
It was at San Diego Comic-Con 2024 that The War Between the Land and the Sea, from Russell T Davies, was announced with Russell Tovey, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Jemma Redgrave, and Alexander Devrient, all of whom have appeared on Doctor Who, slated to star. And now, after the Season 2 finale dropped on Disney+ on Saturday, May 31, the first trailer for the series was released, offering a look at the cast and story.
But when will it premiere? Who’s playing whom? Read on for everything we know so far.
When will The War Between the Land and the Sea premiere?
A premiere date has yet to be announced.
How many episodes are in the Doctor Who spinoff?
There will be five episodes.
Where will The War Between the Land and the Sea be available in the U.S.?
The Doctor Who spinoff will be streaming on Disney+ in the U.S.
What is The War Between the Land and the Sea about?
According to the logline, “When a fearsome and ancient species emerges from the ocean, dramatically revealing themselves to humanity, an international crisis is triggered. With the entire population at risk, UNIT steps into action as the land and sea wage war.” It features the return of the Sea Devils, classic Doctor Who villains first seen in 1972 and part of the 2022 specials with Jodie Whittaker as the Thirteenth Doctor.
“I’m so lucky to work with such a magnificent cast. And this is a huge, muscular, thrilling drama which will shake The Whoniverse to its foundations. When the Doctor’s not in town, the whole of humanity is in trouble,” Davies said in a statement when the series was announced.
When TV Insider spoke with Davies ahead of Doctor Who Season 2’s premiere, we got a bit more from him about the spinoff.
“Some people think it’s like a UNIT spinoff with UNIT investigating cases of the week. It’s not that. It happens to involve UNIT because it takes place on a worldwide scale, but it’s very much its own story and led by Russell Tovey and Gugu Mbatha-Raw, which, what a joy to work with them,” he told us. “Talk about actors you want to work with and push and embrace and celebrate. They are fantastic in it, and they’re so good. I can’t wait for you to see that. It’s lovely.”
Who’s in The War Between the Land and the Sea cast?
While Russell Tovey and Gugu Mbatha-Raw have both appeared in multiple Doctor Who episodes — as Alonso Frame in “The Voyage of the Damned” and “The End of Time: Part Two” and Tish Jones, the sister of Freema Agyeman‘s Martha (companion to David Tennant‘s Tenth Doctor), respectively — they will be playing new characters. Gugu Mbatha-Raw will be playing a Sea Devil, Salt, and Russell Tovey plays Barclay.
Jemma Redgrave, Alexander Devrient, and Ruth Madeley will all be reprising their roles as UNIT members Kate Lethbridge-Stewart, Colonel Ibrahim, and Shirley.
The cast also includes Colin McFarlane, Adrian Lukis, Patrick Baladi, Francesca Corney, Mei Mac, and Vincent Franklin. Additional guest stars are Waleed Hammad, Iestyn Arwel, Hannah Donaldson, Manpreet Bachu, and Ann Akinjirin.
The series is created by Doctor Who showrunner and executive producer Russell T Davies, who also wrote the spinoff with executive producer Pete McTighe. Joining them as EPs are Phil Collinson, Joel Collins, Julie Gardner, and Jane Tranter. Dylan Holmes Williams directs.
Is there a War Between the Land and the Sea trailer?
Yes, and you can watch it above. It introduces an intriguing dynamic between Gugu Mbatha-Raw’s Sea Salt and Russell Tovey’s Barclay.
“The tides have drawn us together. We could make a difference, you and I. End the conflict between our species, before it’s too late,” Salt says. She asks Barclay, “Will you trust me?”
Will there be crossovers with Doctor Who?
There’s nothing planned yet, though Doctor Who has crossed over with a spinoff in the past; for example, with Torchwood in 2008 for the two-part “The Stolen Earth” and “Journey’s End.”
When it comes to any in the future, “We’ll see how it goes, to be honest,” Davies told us in April 2025. “If there’s a demand for that kind of thing, then yes. At the moment, that’s not the plan. I think you have to beware of overcomplicating these worlds sometimes. And bear in mind, it’s still quite a new program for a lot of territories, for Disney+ and for if you’re 8 years old in Great Britain. It’s still a new show with a new Doctor. So I’m being slightly cautious about that. But let’s see where it goes.”
