The X-Files Is Back in the Spotlight — and Hulu Has Already Shown How Far the Revival Could Go

Eight years after the franchise last aired a new episode, The X-Files is once again becoming a near-daily topic in the streaming world, and this time there’s a concrete reason: the pilot for Hulu’s reboot, a service that is part of the Disney+ catalog in Brazil, has already been filmed — on 65mm film, a format typically reserved for major theatrical productions — and is now awaiting the studio’s decision on whether to order a full season. That behind-the-scenes suspense, combined with recent comments from people connected to the original series, has kept audiences watching closely as the franchise created by Chris Carter enters another potential new chapter.

The journey so far helps put the scale of the gamble into perspective. The X-Files premiered in 1993, ran for nine seasons through 2002, and became one of the biggest cultural phenomena of 1990s television, blending crime investigations, science fiction, and conspiracy theories around FBI agents Fox Mulder and Dana Scully. The franchise also produced two feature films and a revival series, with six additional episodes airing between 2016 and 2018. That comeback received a mixed response from both critics and fans — precisely the area the new production reportedly hopes to address. Today, the classic seasons remain available on streaming platforms, keeping the fan base active even after nearly a decade without new episodes.

What has put the series back in the spotlight now are three recent and concrete developments. First, filming on the pilot wrapped in July, with Ryan Coogler even considering taking the material to theaters before a potential streaming debut — an unusual strategy that has only added to the buzz surrounding the project. Second, Gillian Anderson has publicly endorsed the project, revealing that she read the script and describing it as something both different and faithful to the spirit of the original series. Third, Chris Carter himself recently acknowledged hearing criticism of the franchise’s previous revivals and said he already has a larger idea in mind that could eventually bring Mulder and Scully’s story to a definitive conclusion — suggesting that the X-Files universe could expand in more than one direction over the coming years.

The project’s biggest name is Ryan Coogler, the director of Black Panther and Sinners, who is writing and directing the pilot and bringing members of his team from his latest hit production, including cinematographer Autumn Durald Arkapaw. Jennifer Yale, known for The Copenhagen Test, serves as showrunner, while Carter remains involved as an executive producer, providing a link between the original mythology and this new era. The cast features Danielle Deadwyler and Himesh Patel as the new pair of FBI agents, alongside actors such as Steve Buscemi, Amy Madigan, and Ben Foster. So far, there has been no confirmation that David Duchovny or Anderson will return to their iconic roles, although both have expressed openness toward the project.

Thirty-three years after Mulder and Scully opened their first sealed FBI file, the franchise finds itself at a point few reboots manage to reach: it has a major filmmaker at the helm, a cast filled with acclaimed talent, and the original creator rooting for the outcome. All that remains is for Hulu to make the final call — and, if everything goes according to plan, “the truth is out there” could soon have a brand-new chapter.