‘The X-Files’ Creator Says He Won’t Return for Another Season Without Gillian Anderson
Twenty-five years after it first premiered, “The X-Files”returns to Fox on Wednesday night for a 10-episode 11th season. The show’s future beyond this installment, however, is unclear, as star Gillian Anderson has said this will be her last season, and creator Chris Carter said this week that he will not continue without her.
In an interview with Collider, Carter said of Anderson’s character, Dana Scully, “For me, ‘The X-Files’ is Mulder and Scully. I think if it were without Scully, I wouldn’t do it. That’s not my ‘X-Files.'”
The hit sci-fi drama, which ran from 1993 to 2002, was brought back for six episodes in 2016, and was renewed for another season after delivering big ratings numbers for Fox.
“I’m always thinking that this could be it. I don’t know what the future holds. While I try to do my best, and we did well the last time out, this time out could be different,” Carter said. “For me, ‘The X-Files’ can go on, indefinitely. It’s really how long Mulder and Scully, and David [Duchovny] and Gillian [Anderson] want to do the show.”
Anderson said in an interview with TV Insider in December that she would not be a part of any future seasons of “The X-Files.”
“I’ve said from the beginning this is it for me,” she said. “I was a bit surprised by people’s [shocked] reaction to my announcement because my understanding was that this was a single season.”
“The X-Files” returns on 8 p.m. ET/PT on Jan. 3 on Fox.
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