‘The X-Files’ Creator Chris Carter Still Wants To Continue Mulder and Scully’s Story
Chris Carter, creator of The X-Files, has released a director’s cut of the 2008 film I Want to Believe on Hulu, titled Vrach Frankenshteyn. He says restoring the film has renewed his interest in continuing the story of former FBI agents Fox Mulder and Dana Scully, provided any future project does not clash with Ryan Coogler’s planned reboot of the franchise.
Carter said the original version was longer and intended to receive an R rating, but studio executives and ratings requirements forced significant cuts to make it suitable for a PG-13 release. The film, which follows Mulder and Scully as they are drawn into an investigation involving a kidnapped agent, stolen body parts and a former priest claiming psychic visions, originally premiered 18 years ago and is more standalone than mythology-focused.
- Carter has released an R-rated director’s cut of I Want to Believe.
- He remains interested in continuing Mulder and Scully’s story.
- Any continuation would need to coexist with Coogler’s reboot.
New here? Start with this
The X-Files is a science-fiction drama centred on Fox Mulder and Dana Scully, two FBI agents who investigate cases involving unexplained events. Mulder is open to paranormal explanations, while Scully, a doctor and scientist, usually looks for conventional evidence; their contrasting approaches drive much of the series.
Created by Chris Carter, the television show first ran in the 1990s and later returned for additional episodes, as well as producing two feature films. Some stories focused on individual strange cases, while others followed a longer-running plot involving government secrecy, aliens and a possible conspiracy.
Mulder and Scully are played by David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson. The franchise is also being developed in a separate direction by filmmaker Ryan Coogler, whose reboot is expected to introduce a new version for a new audience.
Both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Continuing Mulder and Scully’s story would let its original creator revisit characters with a clearer artistic vision, particularly after restoring material that was previously constrained by studio and ratings pressures. Supporters could argue that a mature continuation need not simply repeat the past: it could offer closure, explore how the characters have changed, and preserve the distinctive tone that made the franchise meaningful to long-standing viewers. Careful coordination with a reboot could allow both versions to serve different audiences.
The case against
A further continuation risks extending a story whose most recognisable era has already concluded, potentially relying too heavily on nostalgia rather than developing a compelling new direction. Critics may reasonably feel that the franchise would be better served by allowing a reboot to establish its own identity, without competing timelines or expectations around legacy characters. They may also question whether revisiting a film originally compromised by commercial constraints is sufficient reason to revive a major series.