David Duchovny Weighs In on Ryan Coogler’s X-Files Reboot — Will He Return as Mulder?

Well, here we go—another X-Files reboot is taking shape, this time with Ryan Coogler (yep, the guy behind Black Panther) running the show. If you’re like me, the big question isn’t just ‘what’s it about,’ but ‘are Mulder and Scully even invited to this party?’ There have been a few breadcrumbs out there, so let’s break it down.

Duchovny’s Status: Not Exactly Cleared for Takeoff

In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, David Duchovny was asked the obvious: Is he a part of this new X-Files, or is it a total reset? His answer was… about as ambiguous as you’d expect from a guy who spent decades chasing aliens and government conspiracies.

Turns out, Duchovny hasn’t even read the new script. 'I’ve spoken to Ryan, and I have a general sense of what it is, but I haven't read the script.' If you’re looking for confirmation that Mulder will be back sniffing around, keep waiting. He said he’s had some 'talks' about returning, but—his words—'there's nothing concrete at this point.' And just to add to the uncertainty, he told THR he doesn’t even know if his character exists in this iteration. Seems like we’re all in the dark together.

Duchovny Reflects on What Made the Original Click

Duchovny shared a little nostalgia, and managed to throw in a subtle dig at current TV (looking at you, The Pitt). He said 'It's a great frame that Chris Carter came up with all those years ago — a believer and a nonbeliever tackling these mysteries. I always thought it was endlessly generative.' Translation: the chemistry and structure made the show special, but it’s really the writing that delivered.

He went on to praise the OG writers’ room—Vince Gilligan, the Morgan brothers, Howard Gordon, Darin Morgan—saying the team churned out 'movie ideas' every week, not just TV filler. Which, let’s face it, is a bar most reboots never clear.

Duchovny’s wish for Coogler? 'I hope Ryan doesn’t have to do 25 [episodes] and only has to do 10 or 12. And I hope he’s got great writers, because that’s really the key to making that show work.' He’s not wrong: X-Files always worked best when the weirdness was tightly focused.

So Who’s Actually In This Thing?

• Danielle Deadwyler ('The Piano Lesson') and Himesh Patel ('Yesterday') are headlining as the new duo of FBI agents. Word is, they’re both top of their class but stylistically total opposites (sound familiar?).
• They’re being thrown into a long-dormant X-Files division, so expect plenty of spectral sightings, unexplained goo, and, presumably, zero cell phone reception.
• Coogler himself is writing and directing the pilot, so if nothing else, it’ll be interesting to see his style mapped onto global conspiracies and rubber-suit monsters.

Any Chance of an Anderson Cameo?

For X-Files diehards, Gillian Anderson recently admitted to reading the script and—good news—it’s 'really good.' That’s led people to hope she might show up as Scully, but as with Duchovny, there’s nothing official yet. Still, it’s more promising than Mulder’s limbo status.

Bottom Line

If you’re hoping for Mulder and Scully to fire up those flashlights again, don’t hold your breath just yet. Right now, Coogler’s X-Files seems set to do its own thing with a new cast, but the door isn’t totally closed for cameos. Whether that’s exciting, disappointing, or just plain weird, depends on how much you loved the original formula—and whether you think reboot fever has finally gone interdimensional.