By Josh Bate
The X-Files is one of the most influential shows of all time, with eleven seasons and two feature films, one of which going down as the highest grossing title of the summer of 1997, proving to be immensely popular. The original run ended in 2002, and the second film The X Files: I Want To Believe was released in 2008 before the franchise returned to TV for seasons 10 and 11.
Season 11 ended with yet another Dana Scully pregnancy reveal, a decision that was divisive amongst fans. Even Scully actress Gillian Anderson was rumored to be disapproving of the creative choices in the finale, with tweets shortly after its original airing gaining traction and causing much discussion amongst fans.
The ending was far from definitive, yet Anderson has made it clear that she has no plans to return to The X-Files. The English-born actress reconfirmed these feelings when speaking to Variety.
“It just feels like such an old idea. I’ve done it, I did it for so many years, and it also ended on such an unfortunate note [Scully’s pregnancy]. In order to even begin to have that conversation [about another season] there would need to be a whole new set of writers and the baton would need to be handed on for it to feel like it was new and progressive. So yeah, it’s very much in the past.”
David Duchovny, who plays Fox Mulder opposite Anderson’s Scully, also left the franchise at one point and it was unclear if he would ever return, but he eventually did, so it’s not out of the question that The X-Files is resurrected in the future. Still, it seems unlikely that another season or movie will come any time soon.
The X-Files is now streaming on Hulu.