Doctor Who won't officially return to the 2026 TV schedule until Christmas, but those in the United States with a Disney+ subscription will get to see its spinoff, The War Between the Land and the Sea, fairly soon. I've been psyched for this one, especially since the glowing reviews came out of the UK. Now, I'm even more pumped after hearing from an FX expert about how the upcoming show's creatures were brought to life compared to other Whoinverse life forms.
The latest issue of SFX Magazine on CinemaBlend highlights The War Between the Land and the Sea and includes a few insightful interviews. Among those the outlet spoke to was Millennium FX CEO Neill Gorton, who oversaw the design of the new Homo Aqua, formerly known in the universe as "Sea Devils." Gorton spoke about how the design of Homo Aqua had to feel different from other iconic Doctor Who aliens for one obvious reason:
You’re trying to make them feel organic and real. They are a prehistoric life form, they’re from the Earth. So first of all, you don’t want them to feel like alien creatures, because they’re not.
As Doctor Who fans may remember, Homo Aqua are directly related to Silurians - the advanced, reptilian and ground-dwelling species that predated humanity on Earth. That's a long way of explaining that Silurians and Homo Aqua aren't "alien," as in DW, they're the indigenous species that inhabited the planet first.
For that reason, Neill Gorton and others ensured that all variations of Homo Aqua looked as though they naturally evolved on Earth. This meant making them look familiar and somewhat supernatural as well. Of course, Gorton and Millennium FX can't take all the credit, as the original design was put in place before them:
John Friedlander, who made the originals, was obviously looking at turtles when he was coming up with the face. So you’re going to keep a little bit of that in there – the ear fin thing that comes down, the slightly beak-like face, the big eyes. You’re looking at what’s out there in the sea, looking at nature, and trying to bring some of those elements in, so hopefully you can accept that this is a species that grew up back in the days of the dinosaurs. You’ve got to feel like this is grounded on this planet and part of this ecosystem.
The turtle influence is undeniable, and I can see how the modern design leans into a more prehistoric, almost dinosaur-like approach to the species. Ultimately, the final look is amazing, which honestly isn't too surprising since Doctor Who has historically one of the best shows to feature eclectic creature designs.
The War Between the Land and the Sea's critical acclaim doesn't just have me hyped for its stateside release, but I'm also hoping this means The BBC will take more chances on spinoffs aimed at an older audience. I'm happy that Doctor Who can succeed whilst having a different tone compared to the standard adventures, as that's important for the longevity of the franchise.
With that said, it stands to reason just how many of those spinoffs fans will see down the road, as Doctor Who is back to being funded strictly by the BBC. Disney bowed out as a co-producer at the end of 2025, though Disney+ will still carry War Between the Land and the Sea in 2026.
While it's known that The War Between the Land and the Sea is premiering sometime this year, the show's official release date has yet to be announced. I'm personally hopeful that a summer or fall release window will be confirmed (if only because it would be a great lead-up to the Christmas special with actress Billie Piper in December). Regardless, keep your eyes peeled for updates regarding when you'll finally be able to see the spinoff show, complete with its incredible creatures.
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