It looks like the truth is out there, and the truth is that Ryan Coogler has reportedly found his female lead for his reboot of The X-Files. While there have been mixed reports on just how far along the reworking of the hit sci-fi series about otherworldly investigations by a dedicated branch of the FBI, the latest update from Nexus Point News suggests that things are now picking up speed.
As one of the most prominent and consistent voices in movies and TV shows with Black leads, from Marvel’s Black Panther to this year’s sensational vampire horror flick, Sinners, it is not surprising that Coogler is sticking with his modus operandi and reportedly looking at The Harder They Fall and The Woman in the Yard star Danielle Deadwyler to play the female lead in the new take on The X-Files. The report says that Deadwyler will effectively play the show’s Dana Scully character, who will be paired with a male counterpart, just like in the original 90s series.
There are currently no confirmed details about Coogler’s new version of the series, such as whether it will be a continuation of the original series or a brand new reboot that will effectively take the story back to the beginning.
The original series of The X-Files followed the often dangerous cases investigated by “believer” Fox Mulder (David Duchovny) and his sceptical working partner, Dana Scully (Gillian Anderson). Created by Chris Carter, the series debuted in 1993 and became an instant smash hit, bringing a dark and sometimes terrifying sci-fi show to life that had not really been seen before on TV. The initial run ended in 2002, interspersed with a feature film in 1998, and followed by a second big screen outing in 2008. The series then made an unexpected two-season comeback in 2018.
Can Ryan Coogler Revive ‘The X-Files’ for a New Generation?
Coogler’s new version of The X-Files has been on the cards for a while, but it was in April that the acclaimed filmmaker finally revealed that it was “his next project.” During an appearance on Last Podcast on the Left, hosted by Marcus Parks, Ed Larson, and Henry Zebrowksi, Coogler spoke a little bit about the reboot. He said:
“I’m working on X-Files. That’s what’s immediately next. So, I’ve been excited about that for a long time, and I’m fired up to get back to it, and that, you know, some of those episodes, if we do our jobs right, will be really f*cking scary.”
While there were plenty of questions over whether this would be set in the same universe as the original series, Coogler did suggest that he was making “something for the real X-Files fans” and certainly had not ruled out bringing back Anderson and Duchovny in some way. At the time, he said that he had “connected” with Anderson, who he called “incredible” and said he had his “fingers crossed” for something coming from it.
Anderson herself also hinted that “if it feels like the right time,” she would be there if Coogler called her. In May, she said during a TV appearance on This Morning, “I spoke to him, and what I said was ‘If anyone were to do it, I think you are the perfect person and best of luck, call me.’ At some point, if the phone rings, and it’s good, and it feels like the right time — perhaps.”
While David Duchovny has not committed to any interest in returning, noting in 2024 that he believed it was a “whole separate project,” there is no reason to think that could have changed if Coogler is looking to connect his series to the original. Another original star of the series, Robert Patrick, who played Special Agent John Doggett in later seasons of the show, recently suggested that he would be interested in revisiting the character, and that he had only not done so already because his schedule didn’t work out for the previous X-Files revival.
- Release Date
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1993 – 2018-00-00
- Network
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FOX
