Ryan Coogler’s ‘X-Files’ Reboot Has Found Its Star

Gizmodo · Feb 23, 2026 · Collected from RSS

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While certain government officials spark fresh talk of extraterrestrials, Hulu has officially greenlit a pilot for one of the most anticipated projects for UFO junkies in many years. That X-Files reboot Oscar nominee Ryan Coogler has been talking about for a while now? It’s really happening! Multiple trades reported the news, with Deadline confirming the new X-Files will be showrun by Jennifer Yale (See, Legion, The Copenhagen Test). It was also confirmed that, unsurprisingly, the pilot greenlit by Hulu will be written and directed by Coogler, whose most recent feature, Sinners, just broke the record for the most Oscar-nominated movie of all time. And we now know one of the stars: Danielle Deadwyler, whose credits include The Woman in the Yard, Carry-On, Till, and I Saw the TV Glow. Deadline also has a glimpse into the plot, which updates and slightly tweaks the premise of the classic ’90s series: “Two highly decorated but vastly different FBI agents—one played by Deadwyler—form an unlikely bond when they are assigned to a long-shuttered division devoted to cases involving unexplained phenomena.” You can’t tell from that brief description if the dynamic from the classic show, pitting a skeptical medical doctor against an open-minded true believer, will still be in play, but the characters being “vastly different” suggests a similar degree of tension will be a part of things. It’s also not certain if the new show, if it makes it to series, will follow the same structure of “monster-of-the-week” episodes alternating with mythology episodes that dig into a wider government conspiracy. Also unclear: will the show keep the iconic theme music by Mark Snow? Given Coogler’s many statements about his X-Files fandom, we have to assume some element of the soundtrack will carry over. Chris Carter, the creator of the original X-Files, is among the show’s executive producers; so far, there’s no word on who might co-star with Deadwyler or if original stars Gillian Anderson and David Duchovny will be part of the cast. Make your own “the truth is out there” joke as we wait for more details on this very exciting and finally official new project. Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, what’s next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.