The latest bunch of spoilers from The Pandorica Opens includes this photo…

Obviously it is a New Paradigm Dalek, and it appears to be in a museum or perhaps an art gallery.

Also obviously, the Dalek has been damaged or killed. I’ve seen it suggested that the Dalek has been turned to stone but to my eye it looks more like it has been frozen (and in terms of continuity Daleks are vulnerable to extremely low temperatures e.g. in Planet of the Daleks and more recently in the novel Prisoner of the Daleks).

Whatever the case may be it does seem that there will be a little Dalek action in the episode and not just a lot of standing around looking like teletubbies menacing, as was the case in  “Victory of the Daleks” earlier in the season.

This is not going to be a “Dalek” story as such however. The Cybermen would seem to have an important presence – for more info see the Cybermantra blog – and there have been plenty mentions of other monsters. Some of which can now most definitely be confirmed by the following photos –

Above – the Sycorax. Below – Silurians & Weevils (their first Dr Who appearance, previously having been regulars in Torchwood)

Add to this the earlier confirmed aliens below – The new Supreme Dalek, the Judoon and the Hoix

Plus the Sontaran ships (below) appearing in the “Next Time” trailer (together with the return of the actor who played the Sontaran general in “The Sontaran Strategem” / “Poison Sky” and it seems safe to conclude that the Sontarans too will appear on-screen.

Mentioned in the “Next Time” trailers were Nestenes (the brains behind the Autons), Chelonians (a race of cybernetic space-turtles from the Dr Who spin-off books and audios) and the Drahvins (from the story Galaxy 4). These may or may not actually appear on screen – we’ll have to wait and see.

Current rumours also suggest the return of the Slitheen, the Roboform, the Uvodni (from The Sarah-Jane Adventures) and the Blowfish (from Torchwood). I’d been a bit sceptical about those but considering what has been confirmed who knows…

And then there’s the possibility of a Time Lady… And maybe Philip Madoc reprising a role?

I only hope that the story turns out to be as interesting and exiting as the speculations are!