Like many, I grew up with The X-Files. I could binge each season in a few days now when everything is available for streaming, but rather than rewatching the original — a task I’ve kept putting off for years — I’ve been waiting for a fresh take on the idea.
Thankfully, my wish will soon be granted if recent reports are accurate. Disney apparently tasked Ryan Coogler with rebooting The X-Files.
That’s an exciting prospect, even though there are plenty of reboots, prequels, sequels, and spin-offs as it is. However, The X-Files is different, at least for me. This was before streaming. The show had 24-episode seasons, and the plot advanced very slowly. As much as I wanted to believe, I needed to wait years for the story to unfold. And then wait some more.
An X-Files show made for streaming would likely feature much shorter seasons. But the story would hopefully be much better than what we got from Dana Scully (Gillian Anderson) and Fox Mulder (David Duchovny) during the original series.
Come to think of it, I wouldn’t even need Scully and Mulder on board to watch an X-Files reboot. But, if Disney wants to create another cinematic universe, such cameos would be needed.
Not much is known about the production of the new X-Files. Nor do we have a premiere date for the new TV show. But Disney’s plans for a reboot were mentioned in Bloomberg’s Screentime newsletter:
Disney, which birthed the idea of ‘cinematic universes,’ is developing a new version of X-Files that would be produced by Ryan Coogler, the director of Black Panther and Creed.
The newsletter focuses on the newest trend in streaming TV and cinematic universes. Studios like Netflix, Disney, and others might be more interested in telling connected stories right now than investing in completely new shows. The public would already be invested in some of these stories, and they would be easier to promote.
I can attest to that. I’m immediately interested in this X-Files reboot, even though I know little of it. Coogler’s involvement is a great detail, however. As a fan of his work for Marvel’s MCU, I’m looking forward to seeing what he’d do with this property, especially if the new X-Files would have to introduce new protagonists.
At the same time, since Disney wants to capitalize on the popularity of X-Files, Mulder and Scully cameos seem mandatory, just as old Star Wars heroes keep appearing in new shows. I’m only speculating at this point, however. But Fox did bring back Mulder and Scully a few years ago when it released the last two seasons in the series, nearly 15 years after season 9’s finale.
Bloomberg isn’t the first to report on Coogler’s X-Files. Earlier this year, Deadline mentioned the reboot, citing comments from Chris Carter, the man behind the original X-Files.
“I just spoke to a young man, Ryan Coogler, who is going to remount The X-Files with a diverse cast. So, he’s got his work cut out for him because we covered so much territory,” Carter said on the CBC podcast On The Coast back in March.
Between March and now, the industry has really been producing hit after hit, and that’s because of the strikes. The writers and the actors went on month-long strikes. Work on existing and new TV shows and movies stopped, and plans for future projects had to be delayed. Work restarted as the actors ended their protest over a month ago. But delays are still in order.
With that in mind, it’s easy to see why streamers are looking to cut costs and greenlight shows with familiar characters rather than brand-new ones. Even so, don’t get too excited about the X-Files reboot until Disney formally acknowledges it. You can catch up with all the action in the original show on Disney Plus until then.
As for Coogler, whether he’s making the new X-Files or not, he has an exclusive deal with Disney Television, and I’ll definitely follow his work in the coming years.
