The truth is still out there and it’s officially heading back to streaming.
Hulu has officially ordered a pilot for a reboot of The X-Files, with Ryan Coogler set to write and direct the project. According to a report from Deadline, Danielle Deadwyler will star as a co-lead, while Jennifer Yale has joined as showrunner.
The new series will center on two highly decorated but very different FBI agents assigned to a long-shuttered division devoted to cases involving unexplained phenomena. One of the agents will be played by Deadwyler, with the pair forming an unlikely partnership as they investigate paranormal events. The project comes from Onyx Collective and 20th Television and falls under Coogler’s five-year exclusive television deal with Disney, the parent company of Hulu.
Deadline reported that Yale will executive produce alongside original X-Files creator Chris Carter, as well as Coogler, Sev Ohanian, and Zinzi Coogler of Proximity Media. Simone Harris will serve as co-executive producer, and casting for the pilot is being handled by Francine Maisler.
The pilot order follows a multi-year development process. Carter first revealed in 2023 that he had spoken with Coogler about remounting the franchise with a more diverse cast. Coogler later confirmed his involvement during a podcast appearance in 2025, saying he had long been excited about the project and hoped to create episodes that would be “really scary” while also appealing to longtime fans. Development gained momentum in recent months after Coogler completed work on his film Sinners.
A Legacy Franchise With Decades of History
The original X-Files debuted on Fox in 1993 and ran for nine seasons, becoming one of television’s most influential sci-fi dramas. The series starred David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson as FBI agents Fox Mulder and Dana Scully, who investigated paranormal phenomena, government conspiracies, and unexplained events. Its blend of standalone mysteries and larger mythology helped define genre television throughout the 1990s.
The franchise expanded beyond the original run with two feature films released in 1998 and 2008, followed by a revival that aired for two additional seasons beginning in 2016. Over the decades, The X-Files developed a global fanbase and became known for its cultural impact and enduring themes about belief, skepticism, and the search for truth.
Hulu’s pilot order reflects the streamer’s broader shift toward a pilot-focused development strategy, even for major franchise projects. If the pilot moves forward to a full series, it would mark the first major relaunch of The X-Files for the streaming era.