Gillian Anderson Says Ryan Coogler’s X-Files Reboot Script Delivers Something Different

Alright, so Ryan Coogler—the director behind Creed and Black Panther, not to mention the recent Oscar winner for his Sinners screenplay—is officially deep into reboot land with a new take on The X-Files. This is one of those franchises with a rabid fanbase and more baggage than your average interdimensional conspiracy, so, not a low-pressure gig.

The good news? Progress is real. The cast is starting to come together, and the pilot script is apparently done and circulating. If you're a skeptic (appropriate for this show), you might want to keep an open mind—seriously, everyone involved keeps repeating this.

The Scully Seal of Approval

Gillian Anderson, known to humanity as Agent Dana Scully, popped up at Awesome Con recently and dropped some tidbits about what's happening on the Coogler front. According to Anderson, she’s been in touch with Coogler, and she’s pretty hyped about what he’s cooking up for the pilot.

"Yeah, we've had a few conversations. He's such a cool guy and so talented, and the pilot script is really good. I'd say have an open mind and give it a chance, because it's going to be f--ing cool. And it's something different. It's not, you know, it's different and it's special. So give it a shot."

Coming from Scully herself, that’s not nothing. She also gets that rebooting a classic is basically poking the hornet’s nest, but wants to make it clear: this is going to be its own thing, so maybe hang up the pitchforks (at least until the first trailer drops).

Who’s on the Cast List?

Right now, the only confirmed name attached is Danielle Deadwyler. She’s been showing up all over the place—Till, Netflix’s Carry-On, and The Woman in the Yard, to name a few. No details yet on who she’s playing, but if you know The X-Files, you know there’s always a pair at the center. So expect her to have a partner—a new skeptic or believer for Deadwyler to bounce off, that’s pretty much baked into the show’s DNA.

• Danielle Deadwyler: The first official cast member. Drama, action, horror—she’s done the rounds, and now she’s headed into the strange and unexplained.

Will Gillian Anderson or David Duchovny appear at all? That’s still unanswered. Anderson is clearly still tuned in and talking with Coogler. Duchovny? He told THR earlier this year, 'I'm always like, "Hey, let's see."' So, classic non-committal Duchovny, but at least the door isn’t locked.

If you remember, both actors came back for the last few revival seasons. But this new show might wipe the slate totally clean—brand new universe, new leads, maybe no Mulder and Scully at all. (Or at least not in the main seats.)

Coogler’s Plan: Same Vibes, New Story

Coogler’s got some pretty solid experience with odd pairings caught in extraordinary situations—just look at Sinners, where Michael B. Jordan pulled double duty. And let’s not forget Fruitvale Station or his run on Creed—he knows how to make characters live and breathe. So, there’s a decent chance of this not being a cookie-cutter nostalgia bomb.

The big promise? He told the Happy Sad Confused podcast that he wants the reboot to be 'really f***king scary.' That tracks: you can’t do The X-Files without a healthy dose of what-the-hell-was-that.

More Details: Still in the Shadows

In classic X-Files fashion, a lot’s still unknown. Expect more casting news soon, because at least one more lead has to be announced. And don’t worry, Anderson is still in contact with Coogler to make sure things don’t go completely off the rails. Bonus trivia: apparently, Coogler’s mom is his secret consultant/ultimate boss. He told the crowd at Cinespia, '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.' If you’re making TV for your mom and the hardcore fans, you’d better not screw it up.

Bottom line: Reboot skepticism is natural, but the right people seem genuinely fired up about this. Now, we just wait and see how weird it gets when production actually kicks off.