Updates for the Doctor Who 60th anniversary continue to emerge regularly and the recent confirmation of David Tennant and Catherine Tate returning for the event has sparked a conversation about who else may return, including Matt Smith. Smith reprised his role as the Eleventh Doctor before, having joined Tennant in Doctor Who's 50th anniversary special "The Day of the Doctor." Whether or not he will reprise his role as the Eleventh Doctor again depends on if he's still willing to return to the show as well as what the plot of the 60th anniversary is going to be.
Russel T. Davies is confirmed to return as showrunner of Doctor Who for both the anniversary and in an effort to reinvent the show beyond 2023. Announcements for Doctor Who's 60th anniversary have also confirmed Neil Patrick Harris' involvement, likely as the villain of the special. Interestingly, David Tennant and Catherine Tate may not be reprising their roles directly. Set photos of David Tennant have revealed his new costume and sonic screwdriver which has caused speculation as to whether or not he's going to be playing the Tenth Doctor fans know and love. Davies has revealed little of the plot but might have hinted at the anniversary's content when he teased that what takes place in the episodes could be a missing story, "Or a parallel world. Or a dream, or a trick, or a flashback." Its official release date is unknown despite the special's frequent updates.
Matt Smith is incredibly vocal about how much he enjoys playing the Doctor and how he would like to return to the series. Doctor Who's 50th anniversary wasn't the only time he reprised his role as Eleven. Smith gladly returned to cameo in Peter Capaldi's first episode of Doctor Who, season 8 episode 1 "Deep Breath." Matt Smith is not yet confirmed to be returning for the 60th anniversary of DW, but he probably will. Recently, Smith starred in Sony Pictures' Morbius as the villain Loxias Crown. A sequel has not been announced but, according to RadioTimes, he claimed in March 2022 that he'd choose to return to Doctor Who over Morbius. "Doctor Who's the best. Doctor Who's the best part in the world, you know." With Matt Smith's enthusiasm to play the role of the Doctor again and Davies' mysterious hints about the plot, it's likely he will return for the anniversary.
Why Matt Smith Probably Will Return For Doctor Who's 60th Anniversary
"The Day of the Doctor" proves that the Doctor can regenerate to previous forms and is the main reason many fans theorize the Thirteenth Doctor will regenerate back into the Tenth. This theory could explain David Tennant's set photos and why Matt Smith will probably return. Unfortunately, Smith and Tennant may not receive screen time together and revive their hilarious banter if the Doctor is only regenerating through old forms in the 60th anniversary. The shooting schedule of returning actors seems to imply that the anniversary will be made up of episodes which leaves room for Smith to reappear. Hopefully, Tennant and Smith will interact as their respective Doctors again, since they were a major part of the 50th anniversary's success. Multiverses in science fiction are becomig more popular so Davies may utilize a similar plot device to bring Smith and other Doctors back.
While Matt Smith may not be confirmed for Doctor Who's 60th special yet, there are several legendary actors returning to create what's bound to be a bombastic anniversary in 2023. The Eleventh Doctor would elevate Russel T. Davies' production by offering nostalgia and the sharp-witted banter he shared with the Tenth in their prior team-up. Fervent speculation is proving Matt Smith will be welcomed back to Doctor Who with open arms.