Doctor Who - Official Answer for The Next Doctor on Blu-ray, Plus the BBC's Press Release ***UPDATE: Online Previews for 'The End of Time, Part 1' ***

Earlier this week we reported that the BBC and distributor Warner Home Video had now formally announced home video releases on February 2nd for Doctor Who - The Waters of Mars (DVD and Blu-ray), Doctor Who - The End of Time, Parts 1 & 2 (DVD and Blu-ray), and Doctor Who - The Complete Specials (DVD and Blu-ray). The latter title is a 5-disc box set which includes all of David Tennant's final group of productions, from the Christmas 2008 special "The Next Doctor" to his finale in the upcoming 2-part special "The End of Time."

However, as we mentioned in our update to our most recent story, many fans have had difficulty with the concept of the Blu-ray release for "The Complete Specials," because the rest of the installments included on that set were shot in high-def, but "The Next Doctor" was shot in standard definition (using U.K. PAL video format, which is a slightly higher resolution than North America's NTSC video format, but still not up to high-def resolution standards). Fans wondered if the disc for "The Next Doctor" in the Blu-ray set would in fact be a standard DVD amongst the BDs, or if there would be an attempt to upconvert the video, or if some other course of action might be taken. There has been lots of speculation posted around the 'net, especially at Doctor Who fan sites and message boards, about how it would be handled.

But now we need speculate no longer: the studio has provided an official explanation to us a short time ago this morning, through the great people on their public relations team. And it turns out that the most obvious course of action is indeed the route that the BBC has chosen to take. Here's the answer to our question, in their own words:

Doctor Who: The Specials Collection includes the Doctor Who: The Next Doctor, Doctor Who: Planet of the Dead, Doctor Who: The Waters of Mars and Doctor Who: The End of Time, Parts One & Two. Doctor Who: The Specials Collection is available on DVD and Blu-ray disc. (SRP: $49.98 DVD/$59.99 Blu-ray ($62.48/$74.98 in Canada)).

Doctor Who: Planet of the Dead, Doctor Who: The Waters of Mars and Doctor Who: The End of Time, Parts One & Two were shot in high definition. Doctor Who: The Next Doctor was shot in standard definition and has been "up-converted" for the Blu-ray disc.

The collection contains special features including a new Doctor Who Confidential for Doctor Who: The Next Doctor that is not available anywhere else, Doctor Who at the Proms, all the bonus features from Doctor Who: The Waters of Mars and Doctor Who: The End of Time, Part One & Part Two and 5.1 Surround sound (added to Doctor Who: Planet of the Dead for the collection).

Our thanks to them for clearing this up. For those of you who are asking: there is no announcement at this time for a separate Blu-ray Disc release of Doctor Who - The Next Doctor outside of this Complete Specials collection. However, that doesn't mean the studio couldn't offer one in the future. If an individual release for that ever does get announced, we'll certainly let you know.

Our contact has also sent over the official press release for all of the February 2nd releases, and it includes the exciting synopsis descriptions for the events of both Part 1 and Part 2 of "The End of Time" specials! We've got that below, just under the (still early and subject-to-change) artwork for Doctor Who - The Complete Specials. At the bottom of the story, after the press release, is a much larger look than we had before at the (still early and subject-to-change) artwork for Doctor Who - The End of Time, Parts 1 & 2. Further below that is the (finalized, as far as we know) artwork for the Blu-ray and DVD versions of Doctor Who - The Waters of Mars. Enjoy!


UPDATE (12/5): BBCAmerica has provided a pair of preview online trailers for Doctor Who - The End of Time, Part 1, which makes its USA debut on that channel Saturday, December 26th. Part 2 airs there a week later, on January 2nd; both come to DVD and Blu-ray Disc as a 2-disc set, OR as part of Doctor Who - The Complete Specials box set, for DVD or Blu-ray, on February 2nd. Before we get you to the box art and press release for those releases (along with Waters of Mars, which debuts on BBCAmerica on December 19th), we've now inserted those previews as embedded videos right here:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

DOCTOR WHO: THE WATERS OF MARS
DOCTOR WHO: THE END OF TIME, PARTS ONE & TWO
DOCTOR WHO: THE SPECIALS COLLECTION

Street Date: 2/2/10

The Waters of Mars SRP: $14.98 DVD/$19.89 Blu-ray ($18.74/$24.95 in Canada)
The End of Time, Part One & Two SRP: $24.98 DVD/$29.99 Blu-ray ($30.98/$37.48 in Canada)
The Specials Collection SRP: $49.98 DVD/$59.99 Blu-ray ($62.48/$74.98 in Canada)


New York - The finale to the era of David Tennant as the Tenth Doctor is one of the most eagerly anticipated adventures in the history of Doctor Who. As the Doctor in this illustrious series - which has been recognized by Guinness World Records as "the most successful sci-fi series on television" and "TV's longest running sci-fi show" - Tennant has proven to be a favorite among fans and critics alike. Executive produced by Russell T Davies (Torchwood, Queer as Folk) and Julie Gardner (Torchwood, Life on Mars), these epic specials feature guest stars John Simm, Timothy Dalton, Catherine Tate, Bernard Cribbins and Lindsay Duncan.

On February 2, 2010, the BBC brings to DVD and Blu-ray two different releases packed with captivating bonus materials - the single-disc Doctor Who: The Waters of Mars and the 2-disc Doctor Who: The End of Time, Parts One & Two.

In stores the same day, BBC releases the 5-disc Doctor Who: The Specials Collection on DVD and Blu-ray, which brings together all five action-packed specials that bid farewell to Tennant - Doctor Who: The Next Doctor, Doctor Who: Planet of the Dead, Doctor Who: The Waters of Mars and Doctor Who: The End of Time, Parts One & Two. This must-own collector's item for all sci-fi fans contains hours of special features including a new "Doctor Who Confidential" for Doctor Who: The Next Doctor that is not available anywhere else.

Doctor Who: The Waters of Mars received rave reviews in the UK, with The Times calling it "a big-budget, knock-yer-socks-off blockbuster" and the Guardian exclaiming "it's a belter, a watery nightmare - scary, moving, relevant, believable." The special finds the Doctor and Adelaide Brooks (Lindsay Duncan, Alice in Wonderland [2010], Rome) - his cleverest and most strong-minded companion - confronting terror on the Red Planet. Doctor Who: The Waters of Mars premieres December 19, 9:00 pm ET/PT on BBC AMERICA.

Following this chilling tale is the Davies-penned finale, Doctor Who: The End of Time, Parts One & Two. The Doctor's oldest enemy - the Master (John Simm, Life on Mars) - returns alongside former companion Donna (Catherine Tate, The Catherine Tate Show) and old favorite Wilf (Bernard Cribbins, Frenzy), as the entire human race faces its last ever Christmas...unless the Doctor can save the day. The final two specials premiere over the holiday season, starting December 26 on BBC AMERICA.

This slick re-imagination of Doctor Who, created by Russell T Davies, puts a fresh spin on the adventures of the iconic Time Lord and his feisty companions - who travel across the universe to protect Earth from dangerous aliens and terrifying monsters. Davies and Tennant are passing the baton to Steven Moffat (Doctor Who, Jekyll, Coupling) and actor Matt Smith, who will play the Eleventh Doctor in a new season of the re-imagined series premiering in 2010 on BBC AMERICA.


SYNOPSES:

• DOCTOR WHO: THE WATERS OF MARS
  Doctor Who: The Waters of Mars is a dark, scary thriller that sees the Doctor land on the planet Mars, at a base in peril. A creeping infection beneath the Martian surface threatens not only the human race, but also the Doctor's most fundamental beliefs. Together with Adelaide Brooke - the base's commander - the Doctor must defeat a seemingly unstoppable menace before it can reach Earth, and wipe out mankind. The Doctor must fight not only the water but destiny itself… when the prophecy about his future begins to resonate. Is his song about to come to an end?
  
  
• DOCTOR WHO: THE END OF TIME, PART ONE
  It's the Tenth Doctor's final journey but his psychotic nemesis the Master has been reborn, on Christmas Eve. With both determined to cheat death, the battle ranges from the wastelands of London to the mysterious Immortality Gate, while the alien race Ood warn of an even greater danger approaching, as a terrible shadow falls across the entire Universe. Guest stars include John Simm, Bernard Cribbins, Catherine Tate, Timothy Dalton, David Harewood and June Whitfield.
  
  
• DOCTOR WHO: THE END OF TIME, PART TWO
  The Doctor faces the end of his life as the Master's plans hurtle out of control. With the sound of drums growing louder, and an ancient trap closing around the Earth, the Doctor and Wilf must fight alone. But sacrifices must be made, and the deadly prophecy warns: "He will knock four times." Guest stars include John Simm, Bernard Cribbins, Catherine Tate, Timothy Dalton, David Harewood and June Whitfield.

BONUS FEATURES:

• DOCTOR WHO: THE WATERS OF MARS
  • Doctor Who Confidential
  • 5.1 Surround Sound
  
  
• DOCTOR WHO: THE END OF TIME, PART ONE & TWO
  • Doctor Who Confidential - The End of Time, Part One
  • Doctor Who Confidential - The End of Time, Part Two
  • Deleted scenes
  • David Tennant Video Diary - The Final Days
  • BBC indents
  • Audio commentary
  • Doctor Who at Comic Con
  • 5.1 Surround Sound
  
  
• DOCTOR WHO: THE SPECIALS COLLECTION
  • Doctor Who Confidential- The Next Doctor (new and exclusive to the Doctor Who: The Specials Collection)
  • Doctor Who at the Proms
  • ** All the bonus features from Doctor Who: The Waters of Mars and Doctor Who: The End of Time, Part One & Part Two
  • 5.1 Surround sound (added to Doctor Who: Planet of the Dead for this collection)

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