Special Agents Fox Mulder and Dana Scully gave us incredible investigative thrills for more than ten years as they led the FBI’s eponymous division to solve mysterious yet enticing cases. The X-Files gained tremendous popularity, a fan following, and, interestingly, a widely positive critical response during its run. David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson’s iconic duo of a supernaturalist and a medical expert made for a nice mix against the show’s science-fiction setting with an added adventure of having the FBI investigate cases of potential paranormal activity.
Now, a plan is in motion to redevelop the series with a fresh take and an all-new cast. And the man with his feet on the throttle is Ryan Coogler, director of MCU hits Black Panther, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, and the Rocky follow-up, Creed. Original series creator Chris Carter revealed the news during an interview on the podcast, On The Coast With Gloria Macarenko. Carter was celebrating the thirtieth anniversary of his long-running television show when he said,
“I just spoke to a young man, Ryan Coogler, who is going to remount ‘The X-Files’ with a diverse cast.”
Variety confirmed that Ryan Coogler has yet to speak up about the series reboot, and neither are there any social media updates from him or his representatives. But, as it comes from the original brains behind The X-Files, the news is undoubtedly accurate, and a reboot is definitely on the cards.
However, while many fans are rejoicing in the idea of Ryan Coogler helming the show, considering he has proved his chops in creating surreal sci-fi elements, a few have raised some interesting concerns about the show’s significance in this day and age.
A fan took to Twitter to point out how the show won’t work in the 21st century, and the concept is technically dead.
A couple more agreed and thought bringing in new ideas was better than reviving the show.
Though it might seem an exaggeration, these tweets have a valid point. The X-Files have already undergone a revival twice. The show initially ran from 1993 to 2002. A six-episode mini-series aired in 2016, followed by a one-season revival in 2018. Unfortunately, the newer iterations soured the legacy of the original run and weren’t well received.
The argument for the show’s concept’s credibility is also reasonable. For nine seasons, The X-Files brought forth some unique subjects, including supernatural, paranormal, and even extraterrestrial life. Later on, it all merges with the concept of government conspiracies, public distrust, and political games, which hid such things from the general people. In its nine season run, the X-Files covered a wide array of ideas. And since such concepts were fresh in the ’90s, the show’s popularity reached new heights among ’90s acclaimed television shows.
However, these concepts have been repurposed several times. With science fiction emerging as a prominent genre in the 2010s, too much is already served on that plate. And it’s something that even Chris Carter pointed out during his interview. He said,
“He’s [Ryan Coogler] got his work cut out for him because we covered so much territory.”
For The X-Files to be a hit again, Coogler would need to go ahead of what’s already been told and develop ideas that fit today’s audience’s preferences. With Ryan’s background and filmography as a writer, director, and producer, we could get a great experience with the reboot. Given that Carter mentioned it would be a new take, Coogler might have had some new plans. And many fans are behind the man’s talent.
Ryan Coogler indeed is the right person for such a concept. With his vast background and excellent understanding of dealing with a diverse cast, The X-Files reboot could be something to get excited for.
Other details are still yet to be determined, as the reboot is very much in the earliest development stages. Moreover, Coogler is currently busy with Ironheart and is a prominent director in the race to helm Avengers: Secret Wars.