'Doctor Who' release date and rumors: BBC appears to be planning reboot for 2018 season

Though it feels like Peter Capaldi was just cast as the time-travelling Doctor from Gallifrey, it looks like BBC is planning to reboot the series once again, and they are set to give "Doctor Who" a clean slate by the time 2018 arrives.

According to Mirror, the show will be taken over by Chris Chibnall, so the head honchos in BBC want an entirely new take on the series. That means that it will come with a whole new Doctor, as well as a new companion.

This bodes bad news for the Doctor's new assistant Bill who is played by actress Pearl Mackie. As of now, Mackie is shooting material for 2017 and she has signed on for the entire year. Fans have yet to see her in action on-screen, yet there is already news that she will be replaced.

The choice to make the replacements was said to be because of the drop in sales for merchandise of the show. Mirror's source said, "Merchandising has dropped off sharply in recent years and there is a strong desire to boost the show's popularity among kids."

This time around, BBC will be looking for a much younger Doctor in order to likely gain some new fans. "BBC management wants a return to the format from the David Tennant era, when you had a dashing male lead and young female companion," said the source.

Though some fans seem to like Capaldi's Doctor, it seems that BBC wants to draw a younger audience by casting a young face. Since Christopher Eccleston's run, the Doctor's regenerations have gone younger and younger. It was a rather bizarre choice to have the latest regeneration be an older man this time around, but some are eager to see what new showrunner Chibnall has in store for current and soon-to-be Whovians.

The next season of "Doctor Who" is said to air next spring.