'The X-Files' Will Be Revived For Six New Episodes Starring Mulder & Scully

Seminal sci-fi/horror series The X-Files will be returning for a six-episode revival season starring original cast members David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson, it has been confirmed.

Describing the time since the conclusion of the series as "a 13-year commercial break", show creator Chris Carter — who has also been confirmed to return to helm the revival — explained that there's no time like the present to bring back agents Fox Mulder and Dana Scully for another trip into the weird and wonderful world of paranormal activity.

"The good news is the world has only gotten that much stranger; a perfect time to tell these six stories," he said in a statement.

Said Fox TV Group chief executives Gary Newman and Dana Walden: "We had the privilege of working with Chris on all nine seasons of The X-Files — one of the most rewarding creative experiences of our careers — and we couldn't be more excited to explore that incredible world with him again.

"The X-Files was not only a seminal show for both the studio and the network, it was a worldwide phenomenon that shaped pop culture — yet remained a true gem for the legions of fans who embraced it from the beginning," they continued. "Few shows on television have drawn such dedicated fans as The X-Files, and we're ecstatic to give them the next thrilling chapter of Mulder and Scully they've been waiting for."

While Newman and Walden's sentiments are expected and understandable, it would be disingenuous to not at least acknowledge that they tend to ring true more for the early years of the show — pre-1998's The X-Files movie — as it began to lose itself in its own increasingly convoluted mythology as time went on, eventually seeing Duchovny's departure as a main cast member, only to be replaced by one-time T-1000 Robert Patrick, before returning intermittently during the show's final (critically panned) two seasons and a second film, The X-Files: I Want To Believe, in 2008.

Nonetheless, enough time has passed for the mere prospect of new X-Files starring the original central duo to raise excitement levels around the world — and it's a pretty savvy move in terms of boosting the original series' potential value for streaming services, so the time is absolutely right.

Although Duchovny and Anderson are the only original cast members to have confirmed their return, an offer has reportedly been extended to veteran actor Mitch Pileggi (Walter Skinner), while former X-Files writer and Breaking Bad/Better Call Saul creator Vince Gilligan has expressed interest in returning to help with the project.

Production on the six-episode X-Files revival is scheduled to commence later this year.