David Yates, who directed the last four Harry Potter films, is attached to direct a Doctor Who feature film, according to Variety.  The film is being produced by BBC Worldwide Productions.  Yates is currently looking for a writer (we recommend Neil Gaiman!), and says the process may take a while.  He told Variety, “We’re going to spend two to three years to get it right.” 

The plan for the story is to take off in a new direction that’s not tied too directly to the TV show; Yates said the property will need a “radical transformation” for the big screen treatment.

TV showrunner Stephen Moffat gave his blessing for a feature over three years ago (see “Doctor Who Showrunner OKs Feature Film”), giving some indication of the lengthy timeline this project may take. 

Among licensees, IDW Publishing has the comics, Titan Publishing Group has the magazines and Cubicle 7 the roleplaying game.