It has been 21 years since THE X-FILES changed the landscape of genre television. The iconic serialized show paved the way for series like LOST and brought a new respect to science fiction on the small screen. Nine seasons and two films later, we are still waiting to see more of the adventures of Mulder and Scully. Unfortunately, THE X-FILES: I WANT TO BELIEVE underperformed dramatically at the box office and everyone involved have moved on to other projects. So, what does that leave? That’s right…reboot!
In an interview with Vulture about his new Amazon series THE AFTER, series creator Chris Carter was asked about the potential for a reboot of the acclaimed FOX series to which he admitted there have been conversations with the heads over at the network. Carter wouldn’t venture to say any more, but he definitely did not shut down the prospect of a return for THE X-FILES on the small or big screen.
As a die hard fan of the series, even I have to admit it faltered in the last few seasons despite the inclusion of the great Robert Patrick to the cast. But, rather than a true reboot, why not simply have some new agents with a similar dynamic to David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson begin opening up the old FBI files and then stumble upon the secluded Mulder and Scully? Duchovny and Anderson could find time in their schedules to come back in a limited capacity and it would avoid starting the whole mythology over from scratch.
Here’s hoping these conversations are taken seriously and not slapped together without respect for the original series. The truth is out there and hopefully so is a good new take on the story.