According to Sinners director, Ryan Coogler, he’s planning to reboot The X-Files in the near future. While the director has implied that he would be happy to bring in part of the original cast, nothing has been confirmed on that front. Now, Gillian Anderson, best known for playing Dana Scully in the original ’90s series, has weighed in on a possible return in the reboot, and it’s not looking great.
Anderson is currently promoting her latest TV series, the Netflix western The Abandons. Talking to Screen Rant, the iconic X-Files actor addressed the reboot of the sci-fi classic, and followed up on her previous comments. Earlier this year, she said that “if the phone rings, and it’s good, and it feels like the right time, perhaps [I’ll return].” However, her latest update on the project is not really encouraging, even saying that she’s not sure the project is off the ground:
“I have not had those conversations or those thoughts. I talked to Ryan Coogler a while back to be told that he was [making the show], and that’s kind of where it was. I have no idea where they are at, or if it’s at. There’s a big difference between [that and] thinking about it.”
The original X-Files ran for nine seasons, from 1993 to 2001, and then had a revival in 2016. The show consists of eleven seasons of the two iconic FBI agents trying to find the truth about various paranormal subjects. The show also had two feature film adaptations in 1998 and 2008.
Can an ‘X-Files’ Reboot Work Without Scully or Mulder?
In theory, a reboot of the ’90s sci-fi horror television show could work without the presence of its two most important players, Fox Mulder and Dana Scully. However, the series would also have to rely on two compelling leads that can function with a similar chemistry. While the show created by Chris Carter was very well-written, it’s not a secret that viewers constantly kept tuning in because of what they found in the leading duo. It is quite hard to find a more iconic pair in the world of television.
We trust Coogler can make The X-Files work for modern audiences, in terms of casting as well as writing. It is also a reality that bringing back the show with the same classic characters would make it a sequel instead of a reboot, and per rumors, the director has been planning to recast Anderson’s character with Danielle Deadwyler. Now, all he has to do is find her other half, although his vision for the reboot could change, and The X-Files could focus on one single FBI agent searching for the truth.
By this point, it is all speculation, as Coogler has not revealed much about his planned reboot of the beloved series. All we know is that he’s a fan, and as a fan, he will surely try to capture the same spirit of the original series. Given Disney’s ownership of the series, all we ask is that the scares are not diluted in an effort to appeal to a wider audience. The X-Files is better when it’s relentless. And terrifying.
This story originally appeared on Movieweb
