Sunday, November 7, 2010 at 2:03AM 'X-Files 3' is Officially in Works
In an interview with TVmag, David Duchovny revealed that a script for The X-Files 3 is currently in the works. If you remember the last one, The X-Files: I Want to Believe released in 2008 and only grossed $21 million at the domestic box office.
Says Duchovny, "It is in the process of being written. One awaits just the green light from Fox, who are a little disappointed from the relatively poor reception of the second film. (The film grossed $20.8 million.) The error comes, in my opinion, from the authors straying too far from the roots of the series. Moreover, the film was released in the summer. The third will be much closer to what the public expects, with government conspiracies, etc."
At first glance, this seems like wishful thinking. After all, why would Fox produce a sci-fi film that performed so horribly at the box office? But if you look a bit closer, the film actually did closer to $70 million in worldwide ticket sales not to mention that it only cost $30 million to produce. Couple that with how far the dollar can go these days with some camera tricks, and the 3D craze going on, I'm willing to bet that this can be a low budget project that can be hugely profitable.
My take on this is if the script is any good, it stands a good chance of coming to fruition.
Reader Comments (10)
They'd HAVE to have a script that works MORE for those unfamiliar with the series than fans, which means they HAVE to make a "stand alone" story and not another "mythology" episode. What they really need is a complete reboot - and "Fringe" has already done that. In fact, I think Fringe was designed from the beginning to be the X Files reboot because the writers and producers just got lost in their whole arc of conspiracies and mythologies. Sure people like the whole idea of insiders uncovering the big de-do of what's going on behind everything, but face it, in spinning these kind of stories the X Files people got tangled up, lost their way, or bricked themselves into a corner. "Fringe" has taken the premise and run with it, and they're doin' better with it. Thanks Dave, how's that new cable series? And where's Gillian Anderson in this? Is she interested? It's not gonna' work without her.
J.B.: Where I agree with you that Fringe is a far superior and hip product appealing to conspiracy theorists, and has done a great job of out-X-Filing the X-Files, I do believe that there is still room for the X-Files in the sci-fi conspiracy scene. At this point though, if Carter, Duchovney and Anderson want to keep the band together the big screen is really not a good home for them, which was proven most obviously with X Files 2. That movie, criticized though it may have been, would have been a great made for TV event. If Fox isn't willing to invest big money in bringing X-Files to the big screen (e.g Star Trek Reboot), then I say leave it on the small screen as a semi-annual television special. Perhaps then the fans won't be so dissapointed for shelling out 10 bucks for crap like 'I Want to Belive'.
Great idea. 'Don't think that Fox would want to run two competing "conspracy" shows though. However, pop culture trends run in cycles and the nostalgia phase of the cycle usually kicks in at about twenty years, so being '13 is X Files 20th maybe Fringe will have run it's course by then and THEN there'll be interest in seeing Mulder and Scully trying to find the truth that's still out there.
Both of you bring up good points. The first X Files movie was released during the series, which made it a success. The 2nd one was quietly released, what, six years after the series ended? It was too far removed to try and continue the same story. This is one of those times where I'd encourage a reboot; we're just too far beyond the series to keep up with the storylines, let alone care.
Conspiracies, even conspiracies within conspiracies, and even the very allegation that perhaps such conspiracies exist, still abound -- and, in my view, still make great grist for a new (well-designed) X-Files movie.
Perhaps it's all in the approach: perhaps Scully and Mulder need not only a reintroduction to the audience but also a powerful and believeable "raison d'etre" for being teamed again and for pursuing whatever the new mystery may be. But so what? Thst is not a negative my any means.
But even so, at the same time, it seems to me that if the substance of the story is strongly relevant to issues of deep concern that are currently in the public's consciousness in the real world, and if it weaves a good tale -- much as was the case with the better episodes of the TV series and with the first X-Files movie --, this film could do very well indeed.
And as a long-time X-Files fan (particularly of the episodes featuring Sculy, Mulder, and Skinner), I will be most eager to see how this movie evolves.
(CORRECTING TYPOS IN MY PREVIOUS POST:)
Conspiracies, even conspiracies within conspiracies, and even the very allegation that perhaps such conspiracies exist, still abound -- and, in my view, still make great grist for a new (well-designed) X-Files movie.
Perhaps it's all in the approach: perhaps Scully and Mulder need not only a reintroduction to the audience but also a powerful and believeable "raison d'etre" for being teamed again and for pursuing whatever the new mystery may be. But so what? That is not a negative by any means.
But even so, at the same time, it seems to me that if the substance of the story is strongly relevant to issues of deep concern that are currently in the public's consciousness in the real world, and if it weaves a good tale -- much as was the case with the better episodes of the TV series and with the first X-Files movie --, this film could do very well indeed.
And as a long-time X-Files fan (particularly of the episodes featuring Sculy, Mulder, and Skinner), I will be most eager to see how this movie evolves
The first movie was very good, because it was a part of the series. The second movie was more like any recent Albert Pyun picture. They should stick to the "mythology", cause X-files 2 was a really sad joke.
The next X-Files movie will most likely be a reboot and given the box office success and good reviews of JJ Abrams Strar Trek movie it's only a question of when not if.