The X-Files creator Chris Carter has assembled a mostly familiar team of writers for the upcoming 11th season of the hit sci-fi series. The first season of The X-Files, of course, dates back to 1993, and it developed a loyal following for nine seasons until the series ended its run in 2002. Starring David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson as a pair of FBI agents investigating claims of the paranormal, The X-Files was so huge that it merited the theatrical feature The X-Files in the midst of the show's run in 1998; and reunited the stars for a second feature film in 2008 with The X-Files: I Want to Believe.
After eight years of being off the case, Duchovny and Anderson's agents Fox Mulder and Dana Scully got back together once again in 2016, this time for the hit six-part X-Files revival on FOX. Also bringing back series favorites like FBI honchos Walter Skinner (Mitch Pileggi, Cigarette Smoking Man) and the conspiracy theory trio The Lone Gunmen (Tom Braidwood, Bruce Harwood and Dean Haglund), Season 10 of The X-Files left fans begging for more, and their wishes were granted when FOX announced in the spring that Season 11 was happening with a 2018 mid-season launch.
According to TV Line, Carter announced Monday his writers' lineup for the 10-episode 11th season The X-Files, which will include three major creative forces from season 10. Carter will be involved, of course, along with producers Glen Morgan, Darin Morgan, and James Wong -- who each penned and directed one of the six episodes last year. Rounding out the roster are names that have previous ties to The X-Files, including season 9 writers' assistant Gabe Rotter; season 10 writers' assistant Benjamin Van Allen; and Brad Follmer, who served as Carter's assistant on seasons 8 and 9 of the series. Carter didn't indicate how many episodes would be assigned to each writer, or who would be directing them.
Although it shouldn't come as a big surprise, the reunion of creatives for The X-Files season 11 didn't include former writers Vince Gilligan and Frank Spotnitz, who of course found their own success as the creators of Breaking Bad (and its spinoff Better Call Saul) and The Man in the High Castle, respectively.
The lack of Gilligan's and Spotnitz's names notwithstanding, fans should still be pretty excited about the writing lineup for season 11. The series obviously will have a solid foundation with Carter and his three writing and producing veterans going in, and the relative newcomers to the lineup are coming up through the ranks and obviously have an understanding of The X-Files mythos, otherwise they wouldn't have been asked.
With the creative team set, season 11 of The X-Files will reportedly start production late summer and premiere in early 2018. And while the debut of season 11 seems a long time away, fans can at least get their fix with the Audible audio production of The X-Files: Cold Cases, which will be released July 18. Based on the graphic novels by Joe Harris, and featuring the voices of Duchnovy, Anderson, and other core cast members, Cold Cases is set after the events of The X-Files: I Want to Believe and prior to the events of The X-Files season 10.
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Source: TV Line