Eddie Redmayne brought magic back to the big screen as star of Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, and the movie managed to return viewers to the world of Harry Potter without actually bringing back any of the really big Harry Potter characters. Fantastic Beasts has been a box office hit since its release, with sequels already in the works to keep Redmayne busy, but as it turns out, he also has his eye on another big British franchise: Doctor Who. Redmayne had this to say about possibly tackling the role of The Doctor:
I do see the resemblance. I see the scarf, I see the coat, I see the bow tie, I'm also a huge admirer of those actors, I love Matt Smith. I suppose there is a bit...I suppose the briefcase [in Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them] has a TARDIS vibe to it. So yeah. Oh my god, would I do it? Yeah! It's a great show.
Fans have been noting Newt Scamander's distinctly Doctor-ish look to him ever since the first trailer for Fantastic Beasts hit the web. With his suit and jacket, Newt looks like he's part of the same fashion movement as the Tenth and Eleventh Doctors, so throw in the fact that his magic suitcase is so much bigger on the inside that he can actually live in it, and Fantastic Beasts almost feels like Eddie Redmayne's audition for the role of the next Doctor. If Peter Capaldi decides to leave the Time Lord's adventures behind in the near future, Redmayne could be the perfect person to step into the TARDIS next. His reveal on BBC Radio 1 that he would be on board for Doctor Who is definitely cause for excitement.
Interestingly, Newt Scamander actually sort of exists in the Doctor Who universe, if you stretch things a bit. Eddie Redmayne and Peter Capaldi appeared as their respective characters in a BBC Children in Need charity sketch, in which Newt Scamander needed help tracking down a critter, leading him to give the Doctor a call for backup. Take a look!
Eddie Redmayne's Newt appearance in a Doctor Who production doesn't necessarily mean that he couldn't appear in a different role in the future, of course. Peter Capaldi and Karen Gillan both played smaller characters on Doctor Who before becoming the Twelfth Doctor and Amy Pond, respectively. The Thirteenth Doctor could just be a guy who happens to look an awful lot like Newt Scamander. Stranger things have happened on Doctor Who, and Children in Need sketches aren't always accepted as part of the show's canon.
Of course, an awful lot would need to happen before Eddie Redmayne could accept the leading role on Doctor Who. For one thing, Peter Capaldi would have to officially opt out of the show, and he hasn't yet confirmed whether or not he wants to come back after Season 10. For another thing, Redmayne's schedule would need to be free enough for him to film for a TV show. Fantastic Beasts will probably keep him pretty busy for the foreseeable future. We'll have to wait and see if we really do get to watch Redmayne take control of the TARDIS for a brand new set of adventures. In the meantime, catch him in theaters.
