Bloomberg (via SFFGazette.com) has revealed that Black Panther director Ryan Coogler is indeed working on a new version of The X-Files for Disney's 20th Century Studios. Very little has been revealed beyond that, but many fans have been hoping the franchise might get another chance (and it's hard to complain about yet another TV series being rebooted when someone like Coogler is involved).
The site explains, "Disney, which birthed the idea of 'cinematic universes,' is developing a new version of X-Files that would be produced by Ryan Coogler, the director of Black Panther and Creed."
There's currently no word whether Coogler will direct any episodes but The X-Files creator, Chris Carter, suggested the filmmaker might be involved with the property in an interview which took place earlier this year.
"I just spoke to a young man, Ryan Coogler, who is going to remount The X-Files with a diverse cast," he teased during a podcast appearance. "So he's got his work cut out for him, because we covered so much territory."
We find it hard to believe Fox Mulder (David Duchovny) and Dana Scully (Gillian Anderson) will be the leads of this new series, though it's always possible the characters are going to be recast. Both actors have previously brushed off the idea of returning to the franchise, though, and there's an awful lot that can be done with the property that doesn't necessarily require Mulder and Scully to factor into the story in any way.
The X-Files originally aired from 1993 to 2002 and followed FBI agents Fox Mulder and Dana Scully, played by David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson, as they investigated unsolved and mysterious cases, known as X-Files. Mulder is a believer in the paranormal, while Scully is a sceptic, creating a dynamic contrast in their approach to solving cases.
The overarching storyline involves government conspiracies, extraterrestrial phenomena, and a mysterious group known as the Syndicate. The series gained a massive fan base and critical acclaim for its blend of supernatural elements, conspiracy theories, and character development and returned in 2016 for a final limited series.
It appears The X-Files is yet another property Disney acquired when it merged with 20th Century Fox and it's hard to blame the studio for going back to the drawing board on this one. The Alien and Predator franchises, for example, have both been rebooted under the House of Mouse's watch and new takes on 24 and Prison Break are both thought to be in the works.
Are you looking forward to potentially seeing more of The X-Files with the Black Panther: Wakanda Forever director at the helm? Let us know in the comments section below.