There have been rumors and stories about an X-Files remake for years. I never thought anything would come to fruition because the show overstayed its expiration date when it was on the air, plus there were two movies that were frankly pretty bad. (A dismembered head was the villain in the second movie.) I loved the X-Files for the first few years that it was on, but when Mulder left (or maybe when he had a baby with Scully – it’s unclear if they actually had sex) it jumped the shark.
Regardless of some bumps in the road, the show remains one of the most beloved cult shows ever. As confirmation of that, Fox just announced that they’ve ordered six new episodes. Gillian Anderson and David Duchovny will reprise their roles and X-Files creator Chris Carter will be the showrunner. It’s unknown when the reboot will air, but production is set to begin this summer. Here’s more, thanks to Variety:
“I think of it as a 13-year commercial break,” Carter said. “The good news is the world has only gotten that much stranger, a perfect time to tell these six stories.”
The “X-Files” revival follows last spring’s return of “24” as a 13-episode limited series. NBC has joined the mania for resurrecting series with built-in audience awareness with its plans for the “Heroes Reborn” miniseries next season.
“X-Files” is a natural, as the show about FBI sleuths investigating instances of paranormal activity is tailor-made for social-media obsession — even if it hails from an earlier TV era. “X-Files” had a nine-season run on Fox from 1993-2002. It spawned two feature films, 1998’s “The X-Files: Fight the Future” and 2008’s “The X-Files: I Want to Believe.”
Fox Television Group chairs Gary Newman and Dana Walden shepherded the show on the studio side during its network run. The pair have made no secret of their interest in bringing it back. The new episodes may well spark renewed interest in the show from SVOD platforms, just as the “24: Live Another Day” episodes spurred Fox to cut a rich pact for the entire series library with Amazon Prime.
Both Anderson and Duchovny remain busy in recurring roles in other television shows and each published their first books recently. Anderson co-wrote a science fiction novel called A Vision of Fire while Duchovny published a humorous fable about a cow heroine (really) called Holy Cow: A Modern-Day Dairy Tale. It must have been tricky to find a time when the two of them were both free to film the new show.
I talk a good game about being disappointed by how the X-Files wrapped but I’m so excited for this remake. I hope they’re able to move on from the whole Scully and Mulder are in love storyline, but I guess the last movie already solved that. I barely remember it.
Duchovny instagrammed and tweeted this picture confirming the news. I loved Scully’s fashion so much. She had that iconic late 90s business style. It really doesn’t seem that long ago.
photo credit: WENN.com and Getty Images
I think I’ve blocked out the last couple of seasons of X-Files and the last film, because I don’t remember Mulder and Scully having a baby AT ALL.
was it a real baby, or was it the FAKE BABY?
Hee. Were there beige booty shorts?
William was a real baby. Scully gave him up for adoption to protect him from the aliens, remember? And Mulder is the daddy.
I’m REALLY excited about this. Even though I didn’t like the last three seasons, I still consider the early X-Files to be pure TV gold and, in many ways, a standard against which all later shows are measured. The truth is out there!
Also, Scully was such a major inspiration to a barely adult me that I made myself go through a 2-year pharmacy school, just so I could wear a lab coat and pretend I’m smart and sciency like her. And now I’m a pharmaceutical technician, so I guess on some level I owe my education and career to Agent Scully 😉
Do not lie to me. Do not lie! So incredibly inhumanly excited about this! Now tell me they are dating in real life, The truth is out there….
Deep breaths, Pinky! Lol
They are not, but they finally talked about the “1998 year of terror” and resolved some things. They’re fine and I think the whole reboot is just going to be loads of fun for them. CC shouldn’t even try to re-invent the series, they should just go ahead, have fun with it and give us longtime fans some sugar! 😀
I am, too, way more excited than a grown ass woman should be. I was about to pass out when I heard. There have been solid rumours for quite some months now, but I never really thought it would actually happen. And when it did I was not entirely prepared for it! 😀
Love the twitter banter between them and this is how it’s going to be for the next year, folks. David even goes berserk on Instagram liking everything #xfiles AND shipper-stuff. Imagine that *looks back at the Grumpy!David years and cringes*
They’ve both come a long way since then.
Did you see that Huff Post Live interview with Gillian a few months ago? Particularly this part:
http://andersondaily.tumblr.com/post/79618525966/huff-post-live-gillian-anderson-on-rumours-about
I def think they went there at some point, or at least got very close.
Whew! It’s getting hot in here!
Scully and Buffy were my role models when I was teen.
I’ll always remember that at the height of Baywatch Pamela Anderson , one year ,Gillian Anderson won Sexiest tv personality in polls and the entertainment shows and reporters ,covered the story and poll in utter disbelief ……when It was so obvious ,IMO that Gillian Anderson was the sexier one. Imo
+123 so true
First Twin Peaks now X-Files my 90s self is in heaven.
Wait what?! Twin Peaks?! *googling like mad*
YAY!
YAY!
YAY!
P.S. Was it Fox Mulder’s baby or Alien implanted baby? I always wondered?
Love XFILES.
My 16 year-old granddaughter discovered my X-Files box set two years ago, she now wants to study forensics and virology. Role models like Scully are becoming rare events on television, she wore suits, chased bad guys and wore an actual lab coat, not tight jeans with cleavage hanging over her microscope or running in four inch heels. I just want to know what happened to the vampire boy, did cigarette smoking guy actually die in the nuclear blast and what happened to the Peacock family..and why did Skinner move to California and become a white supremacist.
Oh my gawwd! The Peacock Famly was one of me and my husband’s favourite episodes.
We use to like to drive to Las Vegas on weekends , we’d wake up at 2am and drive on Fridays from L.A. To Vegas. One time we went into a out of the way gas station and my husband went in to pay for the gas, when he came out he said , I think I just saw the Peacock family inside. I laughed so hard, then this weird extremely creepy looking group of people, came out and got into this big old car and went driving down a old dirt road in the desert. We got the heck outta there. Lol. We never stopped laughing all weekend. It was our inside joke, he’d say, the peacocks and we’d laugh.
We use to put on the popcorn and watch Xfiles together each time it aired, it was the only show we watched together.
Best use of a Johnny Mathis song ever.
True! I still smile thinking of Peakcocks when I hear that song.
lol
Well, she did run quite a lot in heels, actually. Most of the time. Always, to be precise 😀
Scully was a role model for many a young woman back then, no doubt. But Gillian? She was made to walk 2 feet behind David at all times, basically. Eben when she got out of the passenger seat first and David had to round the car, she had to wait until he was ahead, then was allowed to run, chasing bad guys. Re-watch it and you will notice. It got better in the later seasons, but at times, the sexism was outrageous (him being the lead and she was the sidekick, quoting Gillian here!), not to mention the pay. Scully may have been portrayed almost as an equal to Mulder, but Gillian was treated poorly.
She was the scientist, though. I would assume that in the actual FBI if there was a problem with two agents one of which is a regular agent the other is a forensic scientist the agent would go first when trying to apprehend a criminal.
This just made my day
I am so watching this. The boyfriend and I are obsessed with alien sh*t.
Me too! Ever watch that Ancient Aliens? I get sucked into it every single time.
My heart is going to explode. I am so da*n happy!!
I was recently trying to remember if I ever saw the second movie- based on that description it’s a pretty resounding no!
I’m excited for this, I loved the show back in the day.
Damn, I loved that show so much yet had no idea they had a baby?! Wow. Well to be fair I lost interest as the show became less about paranormal stuff and more about government conspiracies.
Part of me is excited for the return but I’m not so sure. It’s been 13 years. They’re older. Will they have the same dynamic? I hope they’ve got some good writers. I will def watch but my hopes aren’t high.
I love the trend in TV lately. DVRs, streaming video and more viewing options are forcing TV producers to work harder to provide quality entertainment that people actually enjoy and want to watch. I can see bringing back mini-seasons of programs like this for other programs as well. Without having the commitment to make a certain number of episodes on a fixed schedule they can bring shows back when they have a great storyline in mind, while still keeping the actors free to pursue other roles. Seems like a big win to me!
Now I just have to patient until they air these new episodes! I can’t wait!!!
I have mixed emotions about this-this show was my ish every Friday (and eventually, Sunday) until they decided to cash in on the “will they or won’t they” between Scully and Mulder and Cousin Oliver’d their way into two really weak last seasons. They should have just closed up shop instead of trying to duplicate the magic with Reyes and Doggett, because no one was here for that.
Still, if they can kind of ignore events of the last two seasons and the movies to some degree and bring back some of the humor that made the show fun to watch, I will tune in.
I was! I liked Doggett and Reyes. Well, Doggett. I know it goes against canon, but I wasn’t against the idea of Scully and Doggett getting together. It would’ve ultimately ruined the storyline, but there were a few “AWWWWWWWWWWWWW” moments watching them.
I liked DRR at the time, but she was just such a weak character…
They should have ended the show when Mulder left, and the baby storyline was just full out WTF? The first movie (I think) I remember being pretty good. The second one was even pretty ok after that long of a hiatus.
I can’t wait for this. I luuuuuurrrrvvveee the X-files.
Loved the first movie, kinda meh on the second. The story was bad, but I was just so happy to see them again, I didn’t care. People who didn’t know the show before probably hated the movie and therefor never watched a single episode.
I also liked the first movie, never understood why it got so much hate. The second one, I know I watched it, but I honestly don’t remember anything except for being disappointed.
I’m so excited!And the second movie didn’t happen.Nope.I also hope Vince Gilligan gets to be involved.
That was the best show I never missed an episode and my god did they have some crazy stuff on it. I recall sitting with my mouth wide open on some of the story lines thinking who the hell thought that up and HOW did it get on TV. The best one Home, the crazy family that kept the mother on a skateboard under the bed no arms/legs… and they were brothers/husband/children. CRAZY
I remember that episode! Just hearing the X-Files opening music scared the sh*t out of me as a kid. I’m pretty darn excited they are rebooting it.
So are they it aren’t they a couple? David and Tea just finalized their divorce.
I don’t think so, but they seem to have a weird, slightly thorny but very close relationship. Supposedly, they couldn’t stand the sight of each other by the time the series wrapped, although I think that could have just come from spending so much time together for years on end. Now they tweet at each other all the time, randomly attend each other’s events/projects, and are generally affectionate. Gillian made some ambiguous remarks in a HuffPo interview a while back that implied at least a pretty intense bond, but I don’t think it’s ever actually been romantic.
Be still my heart. X-Files is my favorites show of all time and Scully is one of my fav heroes. Yes, yes, yes.
I named two of my cats Mulder & Scully.
I might be in the minority, but I’m glad she’s going back to the X Files so she can’t ruin any more Masterpiece Theater period films with her deadpan acting in them
The episode where a dark thing with just eyes showing was hiding under Scully’s bed at a motel at the end of the episode , always creeped my out. I still have to leave a light on.
Anyone know what it was called? They went to some place, I think because when it got dark, this thing would come in the mist and kill people…..I can’t remember all details right now. Have to get out my XFiles Box sets. Lol
Hmm, I’m pretty sure you mean “Detour” from season 5. Hang on….
*gets own X-Files Box set*
Yep, seems like the one!
Scared the ….out of me, Still does.
Yay!
David Duchovny why won’t you love me??
+1
cause he loves me! I am so excited about this. I do have a deep sorrow however that you can’t get the box set on blu-ray…other than that i have watched old episodes more than I will ever admit. I wish it was more than six episodes. Maybe if it does well…..
omgomgomgomg
I’m excited, I can’t help it. I don’t trust Chris Carter, but I’m just excited to see Mulder and Scully again – and to be able to watch the show “live” for the first time!
My. Life. Complete.
+1000
Seriously!
<3
H$LL YES!
I loved that show, and will be glad to watch some new shows, ive been watching reruns for a while!!!
The third season was the best with Jose Chung’s from Outer Space, Quagmire, and Clyde Bruckman’s Final Repose. And the show about the Peacock family was called Home (the only episode never shown as a rerun on the Fox Network as they got so many complaints about the incest angle).
Yes, Awesome Season.
What season was the one with carnival, freak show type characters? Where one character had his brother living inside him, as a tumour? ..
I dunno how I feel about this. I discovered the show after it had aired and bought all seasons on DVD and enjoyed it up until about season 7, However I was unable to finish Season 9 with Mulder gone (I think Duchovny had decided to leave the show) and just watched the weird finale where he was on trial for his life. The first movie was a bit cheesy but it did tie into the show and aired while the show was still on. I don’t even remember what the second movie was about… It was too weird and disjointed and it was like they just threw something together in the dark.
Sometimes this feels like beating a dead horse. What else is there to tell? Unless maybe Scully and Mulder try to seek out their now teenage son (it was given up for adoption) but what other alien direction could they they go in?
I have mixed feelings, too. I loved then, then stopped watching it, so I don’t know – I’ll definitely give it a try, but not too hopeful.
I’m usually not happy about rebooting a show that I loved, but I might be excited about this. I loved new Battlestar Galactica so I’ll definitely give this one a look when premiers.
Guess I’ll be binge-watching the original series to bring my memory up-to-date on the storyline. It’s been way to long to remember the details.
The agree that final seasons of X-Files were lame but one episode stood out for me, the one where Scully has an affair. I think Anderson wrote and directed it, and we see a whole different mood, a more psychological drama and a different side of her character; Scully the woman, independent of Mulder and smoldering!
My hopes are that these are actual stand alone X-Files episodes.
Where there is a problem to solve. And we get to have new creepy shenanigans.
And if the Peacock’s roll up in that Cadillac. I will whoop with happiness. I need some bizarre happenings. With a little wise ass humor from Mulder.
If I get a whiff of any of that mystical BS… I am changing channels. I do not care to see any more conspiracy non sense.
Though I admit I did love the first X-Files movie. I was so happy Mulder and Scully finally came to Dallas!
Through out the entire life of the series… they were only in Texas maybe one other time. Where Luke Wilson was the oddball Sheriff, of a vampire pack town.
Which honestly… was a fun episode.
Hahahaha Luke Wilson was a scream in that episode.
I love how Scully remembered him in the episode as handsome and Fox remembered him as having buck teeth and not very good looking.
Lol
Well, the bad guys (consortium) are all dead and the Samantha arc was brought to an end, albeit not entirely satisfying. So we won’t have to worry about those two hot messes!
Aw yes, I won’t say I’m not excited to see these ol’ bitches of mine back again. I hope it’s better than the last movie. if they take cues from The Fall, snag Vince Gilligan for a few episodes, it could be pretty good.
I am so super excited! I loved the X-Files. Why is David Duchovney so damn sexy as Mulder, but not as any other character he’s ever played? I’m all about Agent Mulder, but Duchovney – meh.
I find him sexy, even from Red Shoes Diary days….was that the early name of the show he was on, wypay before Xfiles?
I liked him in Californication but it’s true nothing compares to his XFiles hotness.
I’d like to see the Lone Gunmen back.
+1!!!
Yes! Yes! Yes!
It still astonishes me that she is a natural blonde. She and Emma Stone are drop dead as redheads. That isn’t very common I don’t think (to change to red and look great in it.)
I’m over the moon!!!!
Now if we can just erase the last two seasons and the second movie from existence, life would be perfect again!!
Man I grew up on this show. And yes, role models like Scully are impossibly rare these days, she was a big influence on my studies.
Yasssss! I was born in ’83 so I was a little too young to watch the X Files when it first debuted but my mother LOVED it and when I eventually did start watching, my most vivid memories are not of any particular episode of plotline but rather of just how fantastic the acting and professional chemistry between Duchovney and Anderson was ☺️ There will never be another X Files or Twin Peaks no mater how much current networks try to recapture the magic. (*cough* Fringe *cough*)
I am personally thrilled to hear about plans for a re-make starring the original cast!
yay!
I remember an online friend once relating how, when she was a kid, she had a poster of Scully on her bedroom wall because Scully fights monsters.
It was just so sweet, that she used that character as her mental shield against childhood terrors, and it’s just so awesome that little girls had that smart, immensely-capable female role model to look up to.
I’m glad it’s back. (I hope it’s good!)
So thrilled. I was obsessed with the x-files in high school. I got a “Scully rain coat” that was like her black suit coat for my birthday…I still have it!! I also always wore my gold cross after seeing her wear it. I used to want to be an ME…until I realized it involved bodies…!!
I can’t wait for the reunion!!! It brings back some of the magic of that time for me…an awkward teen diving deep in the X-files on Sunday nights, and talking it over with a friend the next day!
I hope the smoking man is in this one!
Best news EVER 🙂
Dear Lord please please please let it be GOOD.