Ryan Coogler’s ‘The X-Files’ reboot gets series order at Hulu
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Danielle Deadwyler and Himesh Patel will star as two FBI agents investigating unexplained phenomena in Coogler’s new take on the franchise.
Ryan Coogler’s “The X-Files” reboot has received a series order from Hulu, bringing the Oscar-winning filmmaker’s reimagining of the iconic science-fiction franchise closer to the screen. The series will star Danielle Deadwyler and Himesh Patel as two FBI agents assigned to a division investigating unexplained phenomena.
According to a report by Variety, the drama follows “two highly decorated but vastly different FBI agents.” The characters develop an unlikely bond after being assigned to a long-shuttered division devoted to unexplained cases. Deadwyler and Patel will reportedly play original characters rather than new versions of the franchise’s iconic investigators, Dana Scully and Fox Mulder, portrayed in the original series by Gillian Anderson and David Duchovny.
Ryan Coogler wrote, directed and executive produced the pilot. Jennifer Yale will serve as showrunner, with Coogler continuing as an executive producer. “I’ve loved ‘The X-Files’ for a long time, so getting the chance to write and direct the pilot has meant a great deal to me,” Coogler told Variety.
He added that the creative team wanted to respect what original creator Chris Carter built while developing a distinct approach to the franchise. “Danielle and Himesh, along with the rest of our cast, have brought such original perspectives and performances to these characters,” Ryan Coogler said. He described watching their work come together as one of the most rewarding parts of the experience.
The reboot is produced by Proximity Media, the company Coogler co-founded with his wife, Zinzi Coogler, and Sev Ohanian, alongside 20th Television. Zinzi Coogler, Ohanian and Carter will also serve as executive producers. Simone Harris, Deadwyler and Patel are co-executive producers. The project follows the success of Coogler’s “Sinners,” which earned a record 16 Academy Award nominations and won four awards, including Best Original Screenplay for Coogler and Best Actor for Michael B. Jordan.
The original “The X-Files” ran for 11 seasons on Fox and earned 61 Emmy nominations, winning 15. The series became a defining science-fiction drama. Coogler’s reboot will revisit that world with a new set of characters and cases. Hulu has ordered the series, though the announcement provided no premiere date.