X-Files Reboot Just Landed The Odyssey Star Himesh Patel To Team With Danielle Deadwyler

It looks like Ryan Coogler's take on The X-Files is actually happening, and the new cast is starting to take shape. Hulu has officially ordered a pilot episode for Coogler's reboot of the classic sci-fi series, which is kind of a big deal considering this is his next project after the Oscar-winning Sinners.

Meet Your New (But Not Mulder-&-Scully) Leads

First, here's what you need to know about the new core duo: Himesh Patel and Danielle Deadwyler have both signed on as the leads. Yes, you might remember Deadwyler from the drama Till, but get ready to see her paired up with Patel—who, frankly, has been all over the place lately (more on him in a second).

Now, for anyone having Mulder and Scully flashbacks, press pause: these characters are not simply 'the new Mulder' and 'the new Scully.' According to production sources, Patel and Deadwyler are playing entirely new FBI agents—names still under wraps—who 'form an unlikely bond when they are assigned to a long-shuttered division devoted to cases involving unexplained phenomena.' So, same X-Files flavor, but not a rehash of the old recipe.

Quick Himesh Patel Primer

• Broke out starring in the British soap EastEnders
• First big movie: Danny Boyle's Yesterday (2019)—more Beatles music than you’ll ever need in one movie
• Teamed up with Christopher Nolan for Tenet, and will work with Nolan again on The Odyssey, playing Eurylochus
• Main guy in the miniseries Station Eleven
• Had a blink-and-you-miss-it role as John Watson in Enola Holmes 2 (returning for part 3 later this year)

The Big Picture: Coogler, Carter, Yale, and...Maybe Scully?

Some quick backstory: the X-Files original ran on Fox from 1993 to 2002, ran for nine seasons, became a pop-culture monster, and even managed to summon two feature films. Fox dusted it off for two more seasons in 2016 and 2018, riding that '90s nostalgia wave.

As for the reboot, the idea surfaced in 2023 when Coogler—who apparently has a soft spot for the original thanks to his mom(!)—decided to tackle it next. Hulu officially gave the pilot order in February 2026. This time, original show creator Chris Carter is in the mix as executive producer, with Jennifer Yale (who’s got 'series showrunner' duties) wrangling the writing staff.

For those desperate for a blast from the past: Gillian Anderson (Scully herself) dropped hints on social media that she 'might' have seen the script. Make of that what you will, but I wouldn’t rule out at least a cameo.

'They have not been cast as new versions of Fox Mulder and Dana Scully, but instead as new characters that will form an unlikely bond when they are assigned to a long-shuttered division devoted to cases involving unexplained phenomena.'

Not a Guaranteed Hit…

It might seem like a pilot for an iconic franchise, especially with a big-name director and Oscar-winning credentials behind it, would sail right onto Hulu’s schedule. But Hulu’s leadership has proven they're not afraid to pull the plug on high-profile reboots—even ones fans already assumed were slam dunks. Case in point: In March 2026, Hulu canned a Buffy the Vampire Slayer continuation (with Sarah Michelle Gellar back as Buffy and Chloé Zhao directing) literally one day before Zhao won an Oscar for Hamnet. Yikes.

So yeah, there’s real suspense about whether Coogler’s X-Files will actually make it to series. For now, the only thing we know for sure is: Patel and Deadwyler are strapping on the FBI badges, and Hulu is willing to give this reboot at least one shot.