If you missed The X-Files since the series ended in 2002, Fox has some good news for you. According to TV Line, the network is set to revive the show with a limited (“short stack”) run of six to eight episodes.
This won’t be a reboot, but a continuation of the previous series and two feature films with previous stars David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson. Series creator Chris Carter will also return to write the show, but other key directors, writers and cast members have yet to be officially signed for the project.
Fox has revived popular shows in this format before, bringing back 24 last year with a 12-episode limited series 24: Live Another Day. Presumably, shorter runs make it easier to get actors committed to other projects and places less of a burden on a writing staff to tell a longer story. The X-Files‘ tangled mythology and vast conspiracy theories seemed to eventually handcuff Carter and his team, and the series seemed to run out of steam as a result. That wouldn’t appear to be a problem here, giving Carter an opportunity to tie up loose storylines that have frustrated fans for years.
According to reports, the hope is to have everything finalized by the TV upfronts in May, when networks present their schedules to advertisers and media, before filming in the summer. Announcing a new X-Files series — and trotting out Duchovny and Anderson — would make a pretty big splash.
In the meantime, you can catch up on or introduce yourself to the series on Netflix and Amazon Prime.
[TV Line]
