Ryan Coogler Teases Bold New Direction for The X-Files Reboot
Ryan Coogler just dropped an exciting update on his The X-Files reboot, signaling the paranormal phenomenon is gathering serious momentum. Three decades after Chris Carter’s classic first aired, the next chapter is creeping closer.
Ryan Coogler just gave a small but telling update on his The X-Files reboot, and yes, his mom is part of the reason this is happening. Honestly, that tracks.
So what did he actually say?
Talking to Variety, Coogler said the project started from a very personal place: his mom is a massive fan of the original show. He wants to make something she (and the rest of us) can be proud of.
"Like my relationship with Rocky with my dad, The X-Files is one of those things with my mom. My mom means the world to me - she is actually here tonight - so this is a big one for me. I want to do right by her and the fans. My mom has read some of the stuff I wrote for it. She is fired up."
On casting, he played coy about the rumor that Danielle Deadwyler could lead the new series, dropping a very on-brand line for this franchise: "I can neither confirm or deny." Same deal when asked if Gillian Anderson or David Duchovny might come back as Dana Scully and Fox Mulder. He is keeping those cards very close.
Who might star?
Deadwyler is the name floating around right now. If you have seen her lately, you know why she is in the mix: she played Elena Cole in Netflix's Carry-On and Ramona in Universal and Blumhouse's The Woman in the Yard. She has also stacked up credits in The Devil to Pay (2019), The Harder They Fall (2021), Till (2022), I Saw the TV Glow (2024), and The Piano Lesson (2024).
Quick X-Files refresher
- The original series was created by Chris Carter, premiered in 1993, and ran for nine seasons with David Duchovny as Fox Mulder and Gillian Anderson as Dana Scully.
- After the initial run ended, the show returned for two additional seasons.
- There are two films: The X-Files (1998) and The X-Files: I Want to Believe (2008).
Where things stand
Coogler is actively developing the reboot, but details are still under wraps. No premiere date yet. Given how careful he is being about casting and legacy characters, do not expect loose lips anytime soon. But if his mom is already reading pages and is "fired up," we are probably further along than a casual pitch.