The Macra Terror, one of Doctor Who’s classic lost stories is, in the works, to be revived as animation.
Starring Patrick Troughton as the second Doctor, The Macra Terror was originally televised in four weekly parts but no full episodes of the serial survived the test of time.
Luckily for fans, a complete audio recording of all four parts still exists. Now, 52 years later, the four episodes will be revived through the magic of animation.
In the story, the Doctor and his companions Polly (Anneke Wills), Ben (Michael Craze) and Jamie (Frazer Hines) arrive on a human colony in the far-flung future. The colony appears to be a massive recreational complex. Everyone looks happy and carefree but all is not as it seems. The colony has been infiltrated and brainwashed by a race of giant parasitic crab creatures called the Macra.
The Macra Terror comes on the heels of other missing or partly-lost Doctor Who stories, such as 1966’s The Tenth Planet and The Power of the Daleks, in being restored as an animation.
Anneke Wills said, “Back in 1967 ‘There’s no such thing as Macra!’ was the cry, and for many years after there was no such thing as The Macra Terror. Now, thanks to the magic of animation, we can see the story come to life again. I can’t wait to see this adventure and how gratifying to have a little more of Ben and Polly’s time with the Doctor available to be seen by new generations.”
Special features for the DVD and Blu-ray release include an animation gallery, behind the scenes film and audio commentary.
Doctor Who: The Macra Terror will be released on 18 March 2019. A special screening of the new animation will also be held at the BFI Southbank, London on March 16 March 2019.