UPDATE: while the future of the show remains unclear, Ncuti Gatwa has regenerated into a surprising face.

There are surprising rumors that Doctor Who star Ncuti Gatwa is about to regenerate, and even that the classic BBC TV show may be about to be canceled. The world's longest-running science-fiction TV series, modern Doctor Who was launched back in 2005 by showrunner Russell T. Davies. The last few years have seen the show made in partnership between the BBC and Disney+, with Davies returning and Ncuti Gatwa starring as the Fifteenth Doctor.

Doctor Who season 15 is soon to end, and there's naturally intense speculation about the future. Surprisingly, though, many are convinced this major BBC export is about to be canceled, and that Gatwa is about to depart in a new regeneration scene. Where have these rumors come from, and what's going on?

Doctor Who's Cancelation Rumors Explained

The Future Of Doctor Who Has Been Hotly Debated

Doctor Who is an expensive show to make, especially at a time of spending constraints for the BBC. The British Broadcasting Corporation is increasingly depending on partnerships to provide funding and even distribution, and the Doctor Who partnership has been a strongly beneficial one. But it was only ever for two seasons and a spinoff (The War Between The Land And The Sea, a five-part drama series by Davies and Pete McTighe). It's coming to an end, and the future appears uncertain.

It must be noted that Doctor Who was almost canceled under previous showrunner Chris Chibnall, during Jodie Whittaker's tenure as the Thirteenth Doctor. We first learned that when executive producer Matt Strevens itted that he didn't know whether Doctor Who would be renewed after season 13, and it only continued because of Davies' return and the Disney+ deal. Strevens only learned this the day before it was announced; "My utter relief was, we didn't break it, and Jodie gets to regenerate," he observed.

The BBC recently announced a special episode of Doctor Who Unleashed to celebrate season 15's finale. It sounds like a phenomenal event, featuring Davies himself, ex-showrunners Steven Moffat and Chris Chibnall, Gatwa and current companion Varada Sethu, and past stars David Tennant, Jodie Whittaker, Billie Piper, Pearl Mackie, and Mandip Gill. Some are speculating that this is essentially a send-off.

Why Ncuti Gatwa's Fifteenth Doctor Could Regenerate In Season 15's Finale

This Sounds Like A Big Deal For Doctor Who

Ncuti Gatwa was a coup for Doctor Who when he was cast in the lead role, but his star has only shone brighter even since his casting. He's known to be playing Christopher Marlowe in the theater play Born With Teeth later this year, which would mean Gatwa can't start shooting Doctor Who until early next year. Given Gatwa's ascendance, many believe he's likely to simply move on from Doctor Who after the current season.

Regenerations are major events in Doctor Who, and the season 15 finale feels like a big deal. The release time has been shifted to allow for a worldwide simu-cast, something that hasn't really been seen since the 50th anniversary special The Day of the Doctor, and no screeners are known to have been sent out to critics. It's easy to see why so many believe Gatwa may be about to bow out.

These rumors do have to be taken seriously.

It's worth noting that there have been rumors about Gatwa's departure for months; the bookies have been offering odds on the Sixteenth Doctor's identity since before season 15 began airing. Although some British tabloids undoubtedly have an agenda, they also have strong connections in the production, correctly publishing leaks of a Midnight sequel, the recent Rani twist, and the plot of the premiere. These rumors do have to be taken seriously.

Who The Sixteenth Doctor Could Be

The Front-Runner Is A Surprising One

How will Doctor Who season 15 end? One possibility is that it will close with a regeneration and "fade to black," with the next Doctor's face unseen - an approach many believe Chibnall considered before he knew the show had a future beyond him, and David Tennant was brought back as the Fourteenth Doctor. Such an approach would make sense if Doctor Who season 16 really is in doubt, and no decision has been made.

Amusingly, one (surely unlikely) rumor is that next Doctor is Billie Piper. Best known as companion Rose Tyler, Piper's name has been mentioned several times in different reports, and she's a favorite with bookies. Some have pointed to her presence in the Doctor Who Unleashed event as a hint she's about to return to the show in style.

Ncuti Gatwa's Potential Doctor Who Exit Is Already Different To Previous Regenerations

This Isn't How It Normally Plays Out

We don't yet know whether Doctor Who is indeed set to be renewed, and we only have rumors about a regeneration. Assuming they're true, it must be noted that there's something unusual about this; regenerations are traditionally a major known event, with the identity of the next Doctor revealed ahead of time to great fanfare. There's been some speculation that Gatwa's potential departure has been something of a running debate, leading to a more chaotic casting decision.

But it must be noted that Davies has long expressed a desire to tell a "surprise" regeneration story. He's expressed considerable doubt about whether such an idea is even possible in an age of global media, but he's also stressed that he felt it would be incredibly satisfying for viewers in of dramatic experience. It wouldn't be a surprise to see Davies attempt to pull this off, deliberately trying to keep the next Doctor's identity secret until an episode airs.

For now, only one thing is certain: time will tell. The Doctor Who season 15 finale airs tomorrow, meaning we'll soon know whether Ncuti Gatwa is indeed departing as the Doctor. Disney and the BBC seem to be waiting till afterwards to make a certain decision, so we'll presumably know for sure in the aftermath. We can only hope the world's longest-running sci-fi TV show is set to continue.