With New York Comic Con shifting into high gear this weekend, some big news is already making its way out of the show — including the first look at the upcoming Doctor Who spinoff series, Class.
Created by award-winning novelist Patrick Ness, the author of the popular Chaos Walking trilogy and A Monster Calls (the inspiration for the film of the same name that hits theaters later this month), Class follows the adventures of a group of students at a fictional school that’s frequently been involved in the Doctor’s adventures through time and space. Doctor Who star Peter Capaldi is expected to play a key role in the premiere episode of the series before the spotlight shifts to the series’ young cast.
Set to debut October 22 on BBC Three. with U.S. premiere dates expected to be announced at a later date, Class is co-produced by Ness and Doctor Who showrunner and lead writer Steven Moffat.
The series is set at Coal Hill Academy, a fictional institution that was introduced way back in the series’ first season and has been a recurring location for the Doctor’s adventures. The show will focus on six students and some of the school’s staff members who find themselves tasked with protecting the world from various threats due to the weakened barriers in space and time created by the Doctor’s encounters in and around the school.
The series stars Greg Austin, Sophie Hopkins, Fady Elsayed, and Vivian Oparah as some of the students, as well as Katherine Kelly, Jordan Renzo, Pooky Quesnel, and Nigel Betts (Boy Meets Girl, Doctor Who).
During a New York Comic Con event previewing the series, Ness hinted that a host of secrets from the Doctor Who universe will be explored in the series.
“There are still many, many secrets to come,” he said. “Many. Like, a lot. But of course, the Doctor is in episode one! That’s how these things are done. Truly, though, I can’t wait for everyone to see the show; we’ve worked so hard and I’m so proud of it. Soon, soon…”
An official announcement regarding the series’ U.S. premiere date is expected soon.
