Peter Jackson Would Direct A Doctor Who Episode For Free, Sort Of
This article is more than 2 years old
For genre fans, seeing two powerhouse pieces of pop culture come together is more the exception than the rule, though J.J. Abrams’ perched presence atop science fiction might be the exception. Peter Jackson, a life-long Doctor Who fan, made it very clear last year that he is interested in directing an episode of the cult BBC show. And yet somehow, Peter Jackson has not yet directed an episode of Doctor Who.
This month’s issue of Entertainment Weekly is particularly suited for a Doctor Who connection, seeing as how it celebrates the show’s milestone 50th anniversary. Peter Jackson appears within the issue’s pages offering his services to the series’ current head writer/executive producer, Stephen Moffat. In his article, Jackson mentions running into Moffat over the Christmas holidays and reaffirming his interest in helming an episode. Presumably it would be a solitary episode, and not three episodes filmed at the same time and released once every few months.
“They don’t even have to pay me,” Jackson says, not without an air of greed . “But I have got my eye on one of those nice new gold-colored Daleks. They must have a spare one (hint, hint).” He’s already got two of the famed mutants that were used on the show, but the third time is the charm, especially if it would lead to Jackson’s involvement.
When contacted, Moffat replied, “You’d never get any information like that out of me!” But he is indeed keen on working with Jackson for an episode. “We’re theoretically on board for anything,” he says, “provided we’ve got a great story.” Even if I had an upcoming episode that was just the Doctor reading magazines in a waiting room, I’d want Jackson to make it the most interesting waiting room-centered science fiction there ever was. If and when this collaboration happens, we can only hope Jackson goes back to his history of insane practical effects — as seen in the over-the-top insanity of Braindead — rather than the CGI motion-captured world of The Hobbit.
