The truth is still out there, it seems, as Fox is set to bring back The X-Files for a second revival.
After a long delay, the show’s stars Gillian Anderson and David Duchovny are back on board for a 10-episode run, along with creator and executive producer Chris Carter.
Billed as an “event series,” the show will return during the 2017-2018 autumn/winter season, with production scheduled to kick off this summer. The show previously returned for a 10th ‘season’ of six episodes last year, some 14 years after it had wrapped its original television run.
“Iconic characters, rich storytelling, bold creators – these are the hallmarks of great TV shows,” said David Madden, president of the Fox Broadcasting Company. “And they are some of the reasons why The X-Files has had such a profound impact on millions of fans worldwide.
“Chris’s creativity, along with the brilliant work of David and Gillian, continue to propel this pop culture phenomenon, and we can’t wait to see what fresh mysteries Mulder and Scully uncover in this next chapter of The X-Files.”
Reopening The X-Files
Long in gestation, an announcement of the show’s 11th season has been expected for months, with scheduling conflicts for its three principals the main concern. In January, Fox TV Group chairman Gary Newman said that fans were unlikely to see episodes arriving this calendar year, saying that deadlines were proving hard to nail down.
“It’s just very difficult. Their lives don’t lend themselves easily to finding time to do this,” he said.
“Gillian lives in London, she has young children. Coming to Vancouver for three or four months is not easy for her, particularly when she had other work commitments. David can be available, and then something big can come along for him.
“So it’s not easy to find time. We would love to do it again, and I believe there will be a time when it happens, but it does not feel imminent to me.”
The 2016 revival, met with a hot-and-cold reception by critics and fans alike, did draw huge viewership figures, its average audience of 16m making it the second most popular broadcast drama of 2016. The six episodes also sold to territories all over the world, with RTÉ2 broadcasting the show in Ireland.
The X-Files debuted in September 1993, running for nine seasons and spawning a spin-off show and two feature films. The series, about two FBI agents investigating paranormal events, won 16 Emmy Awards, five Golden Globes, two SAG Awards, a BAFTA and a Peabody Award during its initial broadcast run.
