Screen Rant » x-files 3

David Duchovny Talks X-Files 3

Niall Browne — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 19:21:11 +0000

Fans of The X-Files have been discussing a possible third film in the science fiction series since the release of last year’s much-maligned I Want To Believe. While no concrete news has yet been released, it would appear that all of the principals are on board to return for a third big-screen X-Files adventure.

The latest person to talk up X-Files 3 is Fox Mulder himself – David Duchovny.

Duchovny recently spoke with The Daily Beast and stated that (like most fans) he would like the next film to tackle the 2012 mythology within the hit show.

Duchovny said:

“As far as the X-Files movie I’d like to do next, if we get a chance to do it, would be a return to the heart and soul of the mythology, which is the alien-oriented conspiracy. I think it’s natural for The X-Files to have another movie in 2012, so we’ll see if we get to do it.”

The Californication star also defended the last film and the final seasons of the hit show (which some believe to be lacking). Duchovny stated:

“I was happy with it… I have nothing but respect for [X-Files creator] Chris Carter and the writing staff.”

While the last film wasn’t a huge critical success (although I quite liked it), it did make enough coin at the box office to warrant a sequel – $68 million from a $30 million budget, which doesn’t factor in television sales and DVD revenue.

While nothing is set in stone yet, there have been rumblings that Mulder and Scully will turn on their flashlights for another spooky mystery. In the past, Duchovny’s co-star Gillian Anderson has also said that she’d be up to return to the hugely successful franchise.

There have been recent rumors that 20th Century Fox is planning to bring X-Files 3 to the screen without the help of creator Chris Carter; there have also been certain whispers that a film version of Carter’s Millennium might also be on the way, albiet in an independent form (read: without Carter’s involvement ).

Screen Rant will keep you posted on all X-Files developments when we get them.

Sources: The Daily Beast via Moviehole

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Is A Millennium Film On The Way?

Niall Browne — Sun, 11 Oct 2009 14:31:44 +0000

News broke a few weeks ago that a film version of Chris Carter television show Millennium might be on the way. I’ve spent that time trying to gather some information on the project to see if fans will get to see the return of Lance Henriksen’s Frank Black character.

Millennium was a mid-to-late nineties show from the creator of The X-Files, Chris Carter, as a way of tackling darker stories that did not fit into the X-Files mold. Lance Henriksen starred as Frank Black, a profiler who has remarkable insight into the minds of killers and other demented souls. The show was like Michael Mann’s Manhunter crossed with Seven, by way of The X-Files. While it wasn’t a huge hit, it did acquire many loyal fans during its run and a campaign has been ongoing to try and get some closure on the series.

Lance Henriksen was approached by private investors who wish to make an independent film version of the Carter-produced series. Now, this is an interesting development as the rights to the series are owned by 20th Century Fox.

I have heard rumblings that Fox are interested in bringing Millennium back to screens – possibly without the involvement of Chris Carter and this independent route would seem like a way of doing so. It’s also believed that the studio intends to make another X-Files film, and again it’s possible that Carter won’t be involved (he directed and co-wrote 2008’s I Want To Believe). Now, be aware that this is speculation, but also something that I have heard through the grapevine, so there might be some truth to it.

If Fox were to let someone else produce a new version of Millennium then I can only assume that they would distribute the film on its release. It seems like a relatively risk-free way of Fox to use one of their properties without any real financial involvement, and in today’s fiscally challenged world, it might make good sense.

It is believed that Carter will step aside from the franchise and one name that has been mentioned with regards to directing an independent Millennium film is Brett A. Hart.

Hart worked with Henriksen on 2007’s wonderful Bone Dry and has shown interest in directing the project – even going so far as to say he’d direct it for free (although I can only assume he’d want some profit participation!). The low budget thriller was one of Henrikson’s better films in recent years and it shows the director has a clear visual style and an understanding of pushing a minimal budget to get maximum results.

I spoke with Hart who had this to say about the project:

“As a tremendous admirer of “The Millennium Series” I’m of course very intrigued by the recent rumors that there may indeed be a full length feature on the horizon. If any one can get “Millennium” made its Lance and it’s been a long time coming. It’s time to give the fans what they’ve been patiently waiting to see… More insight into the aberrant world of Frank Black… while further elevating and merging storylines, characterization and visuals… and finally closure for one of the finest series ever created. Let’s hope as the title sequence suggest “The Time is near”… and As I’ve already publicly stated… my passion and conviction for the series is so deep that I’d direct “Millennium – The Movie” for free just to see it on the big screen.”

The ball is now in 20th Century Fox’s court. Will they want to give the rights to independent producers who want to bring Millennium to the big screen or will they hold on to the property and refuse to share?

Who knows – but when we find out the answer, you can read about it on Screen Rant.

Source: Back To Frank

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Rumor Patrol: X-Files 3 Moving Forward?

Kofi Outlaw — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 17:45:05 +0000

X-Files News (can’t believe that’s actually a site) recently nabbed a jewel during their world-spanning watch of all things X-Files: quotes from Gillian Anderson at a Sarajevo film festival that basically allude to the fact that she would be willing to return for a third X-Files movie and (that in fact) there is one currently in the planning stages, with 2012 mentioned as a possible production or release date (details are unclear).

If you’re suddenly thinking to yourself, “Another X-Files flick? WTH???” Then my friend, you are not alone.

Ok, so there’s been some issue regarding the exact quote that came from Anderson’s (lovely) lips, but here are the two translations that X-Files News has managed to obtain from the foreign correspondents who covered the festival:

Translation 1: “The third movie, according to her, is in early stages and should be filmed by 2012!”

Translation 2: “The new XF-movie is, by her knowledge in preparation and should be filmed during 2012.”

So… Two statements that point to the same event (X-Files 3) with very different interpretations of the where/when. Great.

Stateside, we thankfully have Bloody-Disgusting to help sift through the rumors: the horror site backs up our earlier reports that there has in fact been at least talk of doing X-Files 3, ever since the (abysmal) last film, I Want To Believe still managed to take around $70 million at the worldwide box office. Bloody-Disgusting adds that the rumors they’ve heard peg the next film as a possible reboot, which wouldn’t be all that surprising considering Hollywood’s current trend of recycling old concepts into (semi-)new films.

But why bother? We have new shows like Fringe or even Supernatural that have come along and successfully filled the void left by The X-Files - why not focus on developing those series into FRESH feature film franchises? How much evidence of X-Files‘ dwindling popularity and relevance does the studio need to see before they call it quits?

Of course this is all still just RUMOR for now, so if there is even a sliver of truth to it, hopefully everyone involved will read the damn writing on the wall and pull out before they get in too deep.

What do you think: X-Files 3, thumbs up? Or two thumbs WAY down?

Sources: X-Files News & Bloody-Disgusting

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Mid-Week Movie News Wrap Up – Nov. 20, 2008

Niall Browne — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 18:42:34 +0000

Yep, it really is that time of the week again.

This week:

Harrison Ford talks Indy 5; we check out Johnny Depp in Alice In Wonderland; Jonah Hex is in trouble; John Carpenter is a Prince; and The X-Files’ Frank Spotnitz plans 2012.

1. Harrison Ford has discussed Indiana Jones 5 with MTV and It looks like the film is moving ahead – albeit slowly.

Ford had the following chin-wag with MTV:

MTV: Is a fifth Indiana Jones film inevitable?

Ford: I don’t know. If we come up with a good idea…

MTV: Is the ball in George’s court at this point?

Ford: It is. That’s the process. With some general input he goes off and searches for the MacGuffin and then stumbles into a story. And at some point we have a chance to take a look at and give some input.

MTV: And he hasn’t found the MacGuffin yet?

Ford: No, we’re still in the primary stages.

MTV: The end of the last film leaves your character in a very intriguing position. He has a wife and a kid. Can he still be that man of adventure with those commitments?

Ford: And he’s seen something. Remember those are the only witness to what he’s seen. That’s kind of interesting.

It looks like we may just see Indiana Jones one last time.

I must say that I watched Kingdom of the Crystal Skull again on DVD and it was far better on that second viewing. The CGI moments that irked me originally hardly annoyed be on the second go around.

Source: MTV

2. Like Johnny Depp? Wanna see what he might look like in Tim Burton’s forthcoming adaptation of Alice in Wonderland (maybe, this is most likely a fake)?

He looks like Johnny Depp in a Tim Burton movie. Like we’ve never seen that before.

Source: Just Jared

3. It looked like Josh Brolin was all set to star in the film version of Jonah Hex. However, it now looks like there is No Movie For Old Men as Mark Nelvedine and Brian Taylor have left the directors chair(s) for the film. The oft cited creative differences have been mentioned as the reason.

A Spring start is a certainty as the studio want to keep “the hot” Brolin on board. I mean hot as in hot property. Not…you know…hot, hot. However, I’m sure a few female Screen Ranters would disagree.

Source: Variety

4. John Carpenter seems to be trying to match Ridley Scott as a direcor with a bucket-load of films attached to his name. We already know about Riot (aka Scared Straight) with Nic Cage, but now CHUD has some news on a new gangster called The Prince.

According to the films co-writer Jeremy Passmore:

“We [Passmore and co-writer Andre Fabrizio] were trying to do Unforgiven as a gangster movie, because we’re both just huge fans of that.

It’s a bit of a departure. It’s definitely more of a very character based crime movie. I don’t know what’s going on with it right now, but the premise is that this guy was the most [badass] gangster of all time in Las Vegas, and he’s left the life and created this whole new world. His wife died but he’s raising his kid. He’s living in the middle of nowhere and he’s this very religious, trying to live a straight life guy. His daughter is now going to school at UCLA and she disappears, and he goes looking for her. The trail leads to Vegas and he has to go get her, and the entire city kind of comes down on top of him.”

Sounds odd for Carpenter, but don’t forget that his cinematic hero was Howard Hawks – master of all genres and director of the original Scarface.

Source: CHUD

5. X-Files fans – there is more news out there on a third film in the franchise.

Producer/ Writer of the recent I Want To Believe Fran Spotnitz has stated (again) that a new film depends on the DVD sales of the film.

He has also hinted that the film will focus on the 2012 invasion story hinted during the series.

Spotnitz said:

“As you know the date of December 2012 is an important one in The X-Files, and I’d like to focus on that.”

It’s interesting, but I’d have loved to have seen a series of stand-alone X-Files movies that offer a good batch of thrills to adults and not kids.

However, having said that – “never look a gift horse in the mouth”.

Source: Sci-Fi Movie Page

That’s it for now. See you at the movies.

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X-Files 3 Movie Update

Niall Browne — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 19:06:19 +0000

When The X-Files: I Want To Believe bombed this past summer at the U.S. box office it looked like the end of the sci-fi franchise. However the film has grossed a pretty decent $70 million worldwide off of a modest budget of $30 million, so it is firmly in the column marked profit. All this and the DVD sales haven’t even been factored in yet.

Now Fox head Tim Rothman has stated that he’d be up for a third film in the series, and all that it will take for the film to get a green light is commitment from Chris Carter, David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson.

When asked by IESB about the film Rothman said:

“It’s really up to Chris, David, and Gillian.”

“It wasn’t a matter of the money, that was the film that Chris wanted to do. He was determined to do a stand alone film, a film that wasn’t dependent upon the mythology. His interest in making the movie, was in the characters and in their relationship, not the mythology.”

Producer and Co-Writer of I Want To Believe Frank Spotnitz seemed a bit surprised by the news. On his blog he wrote:

“I was encouraged to read Tom Rothman’s remarks as well. I anticipated the studio would wait until after the release of the DVD to make any decision regarding a third movie, but I will let you know if we end up having any news before then.”

So there you have it. The future seems bright for Mulder and Scully. While I Want To Believe may not have been a huge commercial and critical success it has generated enough coin to get a third film off the ground.

I recently re-watched the film and I have to say that it works better on the small screen, and it does play more like an episode of the series. Which isn’t really a bad thing!

During the publicity rounds for the last film all the principals seemed very interested in returning for a fourth installment, so there would appear to be a very good chance that Mulder and Scully will return.

More when we get it.

Sources: IESB and Biglight.com

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X-Files 3 Straight To DVD? [Updated]

Niall Browne — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 21:41:34 +0000

[UPDATE: This rumor has been debunked]

I think that it is pretty safe to say that The X-Files: I Want To Believe was a bit of a disappointment, both commercially and critically. And to make matters worse, it also let down a lot of fans.

X-Files fans are a dedicated bunch who helped the show become a phenomenon and to disappoint them is a pretty big deal. As Screen Rant’s resident X-File fan even I was a bit let down by the film.

Before the release of the second feature there was a lot of talk of the franchise continuing in a series of films, but due to the poor box office ($20 million domestic) it looked like The X-Files had come to its natural conclusion.

But has it?

Dread Central got a scoop that states a third film in the series is a go – but it will be heading straight to DVD.

Is this a real possibility or have we seen the end of Mulder and Scully?

It’s a tough call.

I Want To Believe was made on a modest $30 million budget, and it should make back its production costs when the international gross is factored in. So with DVD sales and television rights taken into account the film should turn a healthy profit.

Dead Central’s source said:

“I understand – there was room for improvement … and there still might be. I work for Screaming Death Monkey and Spotnitz – the TERRIFIC Frank Spotnitz – told us this week that the team have already spoken about the next X-Files film. It’s likely the next release will go direct to DVD – but they’re working on the assumption they’ll have a similar budget.”

BTW – Screaming Death Monkey is a production facility, and I don’t know if “the TERRIFIC Frank Spotnitz” is sarcasm or not. I’ll take it that it is not.

I can’t imagine the filmmakers having $30 million to spend on a third film, but it is a low(ish) budget so there is a chance that this has some truth to it. Also the direct to DVD tag is gaining a better reputation these days, with a lot of the titles (mostly sequels to theatrical features) making a healthy profit and getting some acclaim.

However would David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson want to be associated with a series of direct to DVD features? They both seemed to be happy to have made another X-Files feature – but was that because it was on the big screen? Who knows, it’s not like they need the cash. If they do like their characters that much, and this price was right they might be willing to return.

As an X-File fan I’d love to see a third film, I’d love it on the big screen but if it’s straight to DVD then so be it. There are plenty of ideas for the series to continue, but I feel that they need to focus on solving the main faults of I Want To Believe.

Firstly, If they want to continue the series they must either set Mulder and Scully up as paranormal investigators or have them rejoin the FBI. Secondly, the pair must work on the investigation together. In the recent film it was as if Scully had been edited into the film from a medical drama. Finally, they need more tension – if Chris Carter and Frank Spotnitz can’t supply it then bring in somebody else.

If these kinks are ironed out then I hope that The X-Files does continue.

With a bit of luck we should hear details soon – either debunking this news or confirming it.

I want to believe.

Source: Dread Central

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