Ahead of today’s Comic-Con panel, Peter Capaldi, Jenna Coleman and Michelle Gomez have participated in a few interviews and some interesting hints on Series 9 have emerged.

Peter Capaldi spoke more about the recent teaser image (pictured, right) stating: “The picture hints at a battle, it hints at the Doctor being in a very traditional battlefield, in which he tries to help a victim of war… but it backfires.”

Jenna Coleman spoke about Clara and the Doctor: “We have a lot of very fun adventures to look forward to. Clara and the Doctor are very much a team, very much together battling and facing the world, so all is gravy, for now.”

Peter added: “We’ve worked out a lot of things. The great thing about the Clara and Doctor relationship is they know enough about each other to feel comfortable with each other, and are happy forging ahead together. But the Doctor remains an alien, so there’s always a hidden aspect to him which you can never quite embrace, and sometimes that does appear.

“I think Clara is the best companion there’s ever been because she’s able to keep the Doctor in line, and she’s not frightened to give him a slap occasionally and tell him to grow up even though he’s two-and-a-half thousand years old.”

Clara will try to improve the 12th Doctor’s social skills, and Capaldi joked about the “Clara Oswald Finishing School for Elderly Timelords”.

Michelle Gomez meanwhile spoke about Missy: “We’ve managed to make Missy quite well-rounded and maybe even more human than the Doctor, and that was my challenge. I didn’t want her just to be the pantomime villain. There is a little dance that they are doing there which is quite subtle and their relationship is more human than has gone before with the Master and the Doctor. It’s almost domestic.”

Via a Digital Spy video interview above, Gomez says she was surprised Missy was resurrected at all, let alone so soon.

On the Doctor and Clara relationship Jenna says: “I’d say it’s slightly less bumpy. I think they’ve reached a pleasant place of understanding. She is no longer split between home life and Doctor Who life, and she kind of throws herself into the TARDIS and her life with the Doctor, and she joins him in reckless abandon.”

Capaldi and Coleman talk about one of their favourite stories this year: “We do an episode with some Vikings,” says Jenna. “Yes. We like Vikings. Seeing Vikings on a spaceship is so incredibly Doctor-Who-ish,” adds Capaldi. “Jenna started on that before I did. I walked in and saw you in a space suit on a spaceship with a pile of Vikings. And it just looked absolutely amazing”.

On Peter’s wish to bring back the Mondasian Cybermen: “I’m not doing very well in my crusade, but then I may be surprised.”

UPDATE: Another interview added talking about Maisie Williams’ character (Thanks TOH):

Jenna says: “She’s utterly brilliant, as you would expect, and it’s a very surprising and intriguing storyline with her connection to us and her connection to the Doctor.”

Peter added: “It’s quite cosmic what she does. She’s wonderful and what’s great about Maisie is that she metamorphosises and she’s so different, the way she acts with different aspects of her character is very exciting and very compelling.”

In a Q&A video with fans. Capaldi is asked if he’s more comfortable in the role, the funniest moment on set this year, and if Gallifrey and K9 will return.

And…

The BBC teased: “We suggest making an appointment for about 10.30pm tonight” (UK time).”

Could this be the long-awaited trailer debut? Time will tell!