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Friday
25Jul2008

Duchovny, Anderson Up for More 'X-Files'

DateFriday, July 25, 2008 at 3:28PM
Over 200 episodes, fans grew to know a lot about Fox Mulder and Dana Scully on The X-Files. Since the show's left the air, however, six years have passed, and many feel that the series ultimately became too heavy for its own good. There's probably some truth in that; it was certainly not an easy series to wrap up, like Sam Malone turning to a patron and saying, "We're closed." Loose ends took a while to braid together.

But after a period of decompression, The X-Files: I Want to Believe is in theaters today. I was skeptical when I learned there would be a second film, in part because I'm a skeptic, but also in part because I didn't know what was left for Mulder and Scully, and for that matter, for David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson. Neither star was jumping up for joy over the last couple seasons of the series. Duchovny wanted to shoot in Los Angeles rather than in Vancouver, Anderson made plenty of noise about wanting out, and it's hard to pretend that it didn't influence the show to some degree.

But my initial skepticism was assuaged when I learned that series creator Chris Carter planned to do something completely different in the new film. We're not here to spoil your fun if you haven't seen the film, but it's not your typical X-Files case, which is to say, it's closer to a police procedural than an episode of Ghost Hunters. It's an episode based on nothing we've seen in the X-Files universe before, a two-hour story with a beginning, middle, and end. I liked a good deal of it, though the subplots - a necessary device in a story as grim as this one - were only so-so.

In a USA Today article published this week, it's reported that Carter "has expressed interest in future X-Files films that revisit the old mythology." That's a good thing. Because The X-Files, despite its TV roots, would work much better at this point as a film franchise, a series of unconnected cases about the unexplained. Carter's a terrific writer and a solid director, and Duchovny and Anderson are at their best squaring off for and against each other. More movies would be a good thing.

"What behooves us all is to treat this ourselves as a stand-alone situation and not have any gross expectations," Anderson says. "If we're lucky, and it does really, really well, then that could potentially lead to future conversations." Those conversations, you have to believe (or want to believe) is about future films.

Why is this material so powerful? Duchovny has a theory, and it makes a lot of sense. "Human nature doesn't change. We are who we were 300 years ago. We're interested in the same myths," Duchovny says. "We're dealing with the ancient fears...Whether gods exist, whether monsters exist. It's pretty fundamental. … They want to believe."

And I'd like to believe we haven't seen the last of Mulder and Scully, truly one of the great teams in American pop culture. Duchovny hopes so, too, saying, "(Chris Carter) has said something about 2012 (for a third film). It depends very much on this film. I know we've made a great thriller/horror/creepy movie. Simply put, if it does the right kind of business, we'll be able to make more."

Adds Duchovny, "We hope it becomes kind of a film franchise. Coming back was always something I wanted to do."

AuthorColin Boyd | | in , , , , | Print ArticlePrint Article | | Comment4 Comments |

Reader Comments (4)

X-Files is one the most original ideas for t.v. and/or movies that I can recall. I would like to see this show back on television. Duchovny with his "matter of fact" humor and Anderson with the nerdy sensuality. This is a couple I have enjoyed watching.

Saturday, July 26, 2008 | Unregistered CommenterTom

I saw the movie last night and enjoyed it, I think it could of been more X-files like but I can understand that they wanted to get new viewers to like the series. I just wished that they would have it up a little better in the end with maybe the X-files re-opening again for like the 4th time.

Saturday, July 26, 2008 | Unregistered CommenterBrandon

I just watched the movie for the second time and as a die-hard fan of the series, I too wish the movie was a little more X Files like. As a shipper, I couldn't be more happier, they're finally together !!! They're talking about a movie franchise and I think if it does happen (please God, let it happen) the plots should be more true to the essence of the show, including a revisit to the mythology, hopefully saving the earth from the big alien invasion of 2012, if the third movie is set to released around this time...

Sunday, July 27, 2008 | Unregistered CommenterJuliana

I have been waiting for soo long for Chris Carter to make a new X-Files movie, and what a long wait its been. I went to see the new movie last night, and although it wasnt everything I was hoping for, it was still a great movie and I loved seeing the reunion of Mulder and Scully. Im a die hard fan of the show and really hated seeing the end of season 9. There were soo many questions left unanswered, especially with the whole mythology part of the series. I hope that there will be more future movie installments that will cover more of the mythology, especially "End Game".
Good luck Chris, I hope the new movie does well because Im ready to see more!

Monday, July 28, 2008 | Unregistered CommenterBigadam

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