Ryan Coogler, the director of the MCU’s Black Panther and 2025’s vampire blockbuster Sinners, reveals he’s still working on the long-gestating reboot of the iconic ’90s sci-fi series, The X-Files. The reboot was announced a few years ago, with Coogler on board to produce, but not many details have since emerged…until now. While the director wasn’t able to reveal too much about his approach, he did reveal why he’s rebooting the series. A reboot that, considering the legacy of the original, will be difficult to pull off. Per Variety, Coogler said he is rebooting the show because he wants to make something for his mother. She’s a loyal fan of The X-Files, and one of the early readers of his treatment for the reboot. The filmmaker revealed the following to the audience at a Cinespia screening of Sinners:
“Like my relationship with Rocky with my dad, The X-Files is one of those things with my mom. My mom means the world to me — she’s actually here tonight — so this is a big one for me. I want to do right by her and the fans. My mom has read some of the stuff I wrote for it. She’s fired up.”
Naturally, fans are wondering who will be cast in the series. After all, agents Mulder and Scully were two of the most important TV characters of the ’90s, and it was their chemistry which kept people tuned in to the Fox series week after week. It is still a mystery whether Coogler’s reboot will recast the agents, or take the “legacy sequel” approach. The Black Panther director was asked at the screening whether long-rumored actor Danielle Deadwyler was going to have a part and his answer was “I can neither confirm or deny.” Consider us intrigued.
Will Anyone From the Original ‘X-Files’ Series Return in the Reboot?

Agents Mulder and Scully from the X FilesFox Network

Earlier this year, Coogler revealed that he was actively working on the reboot, saying, “I’ve been excited about that for a long time, and I’m fired up to get back to it. Some of those episodes, if we do our jobs right, will be really f-ing scary.” The filmmaker has even been asked about Gillian Anderson’s potential return as Dana Scully, and he replied, “She’s incredible and fingers crossed there. We’re going to try to make something really great, bro, and make something for the real X-Files fans and maybe find some new ones.” In the past, the actor has talked about playing Scully again. Although Anderson returned for the revival series, it’s likely that Coogler’s vision would be a renewal of the series, with other characters taking the lead. In any case, he could still find a place for the actor, who has expressed her desire to return under the leadership of the Sinners director:
“If Ryan Coogler does get X-Files off the ground… that I would dip into Scully again under his tutelage. If the phone rings, and it’s good, and it feels like the right time, perhaps [I’ll return]. That’s what I said. He’s amazing.”