Gillian Anderson Had The Perfect Response To Ryan Coogler's X-Files Reboot

Back in March of 2023, /Film reported that Ryan Coogler, most recently the director of the hit vampire musical "Sinners," and Chris Carter, the creator of the seminal 1990s conspiracy thriller series "The X-Files," were collaborating on a 2020s update of Carter's series. It was unclear at the time if Coogler's "The X-Files" was going to share a continuity with the original show or if it was going to be a hard reboot with an all-new cast and a newly restarted continuity. The only word they used was "remounting," which could have meant anything. 

More recently, on an episode of "The Last Podcast on the Left," Coogler expanded on his ideas a little bit, saying that the project was still very much alive. He had been busy finishing the blockbuster "Black Panther: Wakanda Forever," and then moved on to "Sinners," and he was relieved to have a blank slate where he could finally slot in work on "The X-Files." He said that he had been thinking about the project for a long time, and that it is "immediately next" on his docket. Coogler even mentioned that he had spoken with actress Gillian Anderson, one of the co-leads of the original "The X-Files" from its debut in 1993 through nine original-run seasons, and then two additional revival seasons in 2016 and 2018. Coogler said that "She's incredible," and "fingers crossed there." 

It seems that Anderson is game. Anderson recently appeared on ITV1's "This Morning," confirming that she had indeed spoken to Coogler about a new version of "The X-Files." She liked the match of director to material, and even playfully (or seriously?) volunteered her services for the project. 

What Anderson said wasn't a commitment, of course. But it was positive. Her exact words were: "I spoke to [Coogler], 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."

If Anderson were to play a part, however, it's unclear if she would reprise her original role or if she would merely play as a legacy hire, giving her blessing to the new series as a new character. It was surprising to see Anderson be so positive about participating in a potential "X-Files" reboot, given how many times she has refused to talk about it in the past. On "The Today Show" in 2024, she even noted how tired she was about being asked, so many years after the show came to an end. When she heard that Coogler was involved, though, she did a 180, saying, "I cannot think of a better way around for a reboot to happen." She also added that "Maybe I'll pop in for a little something-something." Anderson would be pleased to work with Coogler, it seems. 

"The X-Files" is, of course, about a pair of FBI agents who have been assigned all the case files at the FBI filed under the letter X. Those files pertain to unexplained phenomena; claims of psychic powers, alien abductions, cryptids, or other monsters. David Duchovny played Agent Fox Mulder, and Anderson played Agent Dana Scully. Mulder was the believer who always assumed that the supernatural was at play, while Scully was the skeptic, insisting there was a logical, scientific explanation for the extraordinary things they saw. 

Duchovny, who left the series for two of its seasons, hasn't yet made any comments.