According to a new Bloomberg report, Black Panther director Ryan Coogler is indeed working on a reboot of The X-Files for Disney. Very little has been revealed beyond that, but it's arguably about time this franchise gets another chance (and it's hard to complain about yet another TV series being overhauled 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 doing something 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."
Fox Mulder (David Duchovny) and Dana Scully (Gillian Anderson) are unlikely to be the leads of this new series, though it's always possible they'll 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.
Are you looking forward to potentially seeing more of The X-Files with the Black Panther: Wakanda Forever director at the helm?