Mulder & Scully to return as Fox orders a new season of The X-Files

Last Updated on August 2, 2021

The recent revival of The X-Files may not have been the triumphant return that many fans were hoping it would be, but there was still plenty to enjoy and getting to see David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson back as Mulder and Scully was fantastic. Although it seemed fairly likely that the show would return (especially after that cliffhanger, come on!), there wasn't an immediate announcement after the event series wrapped up. Thankfully, the truth is still out there as Fox has now officially ordered a new season of The X-Files.

David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson will of course be returning, along with series creator Chris Carter, and production on the series is slated to kick off this summer. Those of you who felt that the six-episodes of the previous season were not nearly enough will be pleased to know that the episode count has been bumped up to ten this time around. Both Gillian Anderson and David Duchovny have displayed little interest in committing themselves to another full-sized season of The X-Files, so ten-episodes is probably a good number; a little more room for the mythology and monster-of-the-week episodes to breathe.

As it had been close to fifteen years since The X-Files television series wrapped up, there was a little awkwardness in those six-episodes as both cast and crew adjusted to stepping back into the world of aliens and conspiracies. With those secondary growing pains out of the way, I would hope that this new season will represent an improvement on all fronts. Perhaps they'll even be able to lure Frank Spotnitz and Vince Gilligan back to the X-Files writers' room. What are you hoping to see in the next season of The X-Files?

David Madden, president of Fox Broadcasting Company, had this to say:

Iconic characters, rich storytelling, bold creators – these are the hallmarks of great TV shows. And they are some of the reasons why ‘The X-Files’ has had such a profound impact on millions of fans worldwide. Chris’ 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’.

The new season is expected to premiere during the 2017-18 television season.