Through 15 doctors and over a dozen brave captains, sci-fi fans have traveled on journeys spanning the cosmos, and on July 30 fans will rejoice as the Doctor Who and Star Trek franchises come together to celebrate the creation of the inaugural Intergalactic Friendship Day. The celebration aligns with International Friendship Day which was established in 2011 with the idea that friendship between peoples, countries, cultures, and individuals can inspire peace efforts and build bridges between communities. Throughout both franchises’ long histories, there have been numerous on-screen nods to each other that delight fans, and now the two pop culture titans Doctor Who and Star Trek are joining forces to spotlight shared values of friendship, hope and fandom with fan celebrations, digital activations and special giveaways.
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The collaboration will kick off at San Diego Comic-Con, where Alex Kurtzman, showrunner and executive producer of the Star Trek franchise, and Russell T Davies, showrunner and executive producer spearheading the Doctor Who Whoniverse, come together for an exclusive creator-to-creator conversation about the art of storytelling in alternative universes and to celebrate the power of friendship. The SDCC Intergalactic Friendship Panel: Star Trek x Doctor Who will be on Saturday, July 27, from 5:30-6:30 PM, in Room: 6A, and will be moderated by Keisha Hatchett, staff editor of TVLine. Attendees to the creator conversation will each receive a special Doctor Who X Star Trek poster designed by artist Dusty Abell.
Under the banner of “Friendship is Universal,” Star Trek and Doctor Who will operate a special celebratory gallery experience at 226 and 230 5th Avenue in the Gaslamp Quarter of San Diego. The gallery experience will feature original costumes and props from across the storied histories of both, highlighting themes of friendship and shared values between the two universes. There will also be photo opportunities for fans as well as special friendship bracelet giveaways. “Friendship is Universal” activation hours of operation are Thursday, July 25 through Saturday, July 27 11:00 AM – 8:00 PM, and Sunday July 28 11:00 AM – 5:00 PM. Admission is free. “Friendship is Universal” is not an official SDCC activation, therefore no badge is required for entry.
@StarTrek @BBCDoctorWho #IntergalacticFriendshipDay #FriendshipIsUniversal
About Doctor Who
Quintessentially British, “Doctor Who” is one of the longest-running action-adventure television series in the world with legions of fans across the globe since it was launched by the BBC in 1963. Ncuti Gatwa took on the role of the 15th Doctor in The Church On Ruby Road, which was the UK’s most-viewed scripted show on Christmas Day 2023 for under 35s. The critically acclaimed series airs on BBC iPlayer and primetime BBC One in the UK and Disney+ in the rest of the world, where available.
Doctor Who has a variety of licensees and partnerships spanning comics and collectibles, audiobooks, podcasts and magazines. Since 2012, over 17 million Sonic Screwdrivers and action figures, 19 million DVDs and over 1 million tickets for Doctor Who live events have sold globally. In 2023, BBC iPlayer launched the Whoniverse, a dedicated area where UK viewers can see more than 800 shows within the orbit of Doctor Who. Produced by Bad Wolf with BBC Studios for BBC and Disney Branded Television, the program is available now on BBC iPlayer in the UK and on Disney+ in the rest of the world, where available. www.doctorwho.tv
