Ryan Coogler’s ‘X-Files’ Reboot Lands Hulu Pilot Order, Danielle Deadwyler to Star
The truth is right here: Ryan Coogler‘s reboot of “The X-Files” is officially moving forward with a pilot order at Hulu.
In addition, Danielle Deadwyler is officially set to play one of the lead roles in the pilot, while the other lead role has yet to be cast. The official logline for the pilot states, “Two highly decorated but vastly different FBI agents form an unlikely bond when they are assigned to a long-shuttered division devoted to cases involving unexplained phenomena.”
Coogler will write, direct, and executive produce the pilot under his Proximity Media banner. Sev Ohanian and Zinzi Coogler of Proximity will also executive produce along with original “X-Files” creator Chris Carter. Simone Harris of Proximity will co-executive produce. The pilot hails from Onyx Collective and 20th Television. Coogler and Proximity are currently under a TV overall deal with Disney.
News of Coogler’s take on the beloved sci-fi procedural first emerged in 2023, when Carter revealed that Coogler had contacted him about rebooting the series with a diverse cast. There has been no official news on the project since, though Coogler has teased work on the series in interviews since.
“Like my relationship with ‘Rocky’ with my dad, ‘The X-Files’ is one of those things with my mom,” Coogler told Variety in October 2025. “My mom means the world to me…so this is a big one for me. I want to do right by her and the fans. My mom has read some of the stuff I wrote for it. She’s fired up.”
This will be the first ever reboot of “The X-Files” but not the first time that the show has returned since it originally went off the air in 2001 after nine seasons. Fox revived the series for two more seasons in 2016 and 2018 with Carter and original series stars Gillian Anderson and David Duchovny returning in their roles as Dr. Dana Scully and Fox Mulder. There have also been two “X-Files” movies — 1998’s “The X-Files,” followed by “The X-Files: I Want to Believe” in 2008.
At this time, neither Anderson nor Duchovny are attached to Coogler’s pilot.
Deadwyler is best known for her roles in films like “The Harder They Fall,” “Till,” and “Carry-On.” She has also played memorable parts in shows like “Atlanta,” “The Bear,” and “Station Eleven,” with appearances in other series like “P-Valley,” “From Scratch,” and “Greenleaf.”
Coogler has established himself as one of the most in-demand and celebrated filmmakers of his time. He is currently making the awards show rounds with “Sinners,” which he wrote, directed, and produced. The film recently set a new Oscars record with 16 nominations, the most for any single film in one year. Coogler is up for best director and best original screenplay, while the film itself is up for best picture. Coogler most recently made history by becoming the first Black person to win a BAFTA Award for best original screenplay.
Coogler’s other film credits the two “Black Panther” films for Marvel, the “Creed” franchise, and “Fruitvale Station.” Coogler was also a producer on the Oscar-winning film “Judas and the Black Messiah.”
Coogler is repped by WME, M88, The Lede Company, and Cohen & Gardner. Deadwyler is repped by Paradigm Talent Agency, Play Management, and Ziffren Brittenham. Carter is repped by CAA and Gang Tyre.
In addition, Danielle Deadwyler is officially set to play one of the lead roles in the pilot, while the other lead role has yet to be cast. The official logline for the pilot states, “Two highly decorated but vastly different FBI agents form an unlikely bond when they are assigned to a long-shuttered division devoted to cases involving unexplained phenomena.”
Coogler will write, direct, and executive produce the pilot under his Proximity Media banner. Sev Ohanian and Zinzi Coogler of Proximity will also executive produce along with original “X-Files” creator Chris Carter. Simone Harris of Proximity will co-executive produce. The pilot hails from Onyx Collective and 20th Television. Coogler and Proximity are currently under a TV overall deal with Disney.
News of Coogler’s take on the beloved sci-fi procedural first emerged in 2023, when Carter revealed that Coogler had contacted him about rebooting the series with a diverse cast. There has been no official news on the project since, though Coogler has teased work on the series in interviews since.
“Like my relationship with ‘Rocky’ with my dad, ‘The X-Files’ is one of those things with my mom,” Coogler told Variety in October 2025. “My mom means the world to me…so this is a big one for me. I want to do right by her and the fans. My mom has read some of the stuff I wrote for it. She’s fired up.”
This will be the first ever reboot of “The X-Files” but not the first time that the show has returned since it originally went off the air in 2001 after nine seasons. Fox revived the series for two more seasons in 2016 and 2018 with Carter and original series stars Gillian Anderson and David Duchovny returning in their roles as Dr. Dana Scully and Fox Mulder. There have also been two “X-Files” movies — 1998’s “The X-Files,” followed by “The X-Files: I Want to Believe” in 2008.
At this time, neither Anderson nor Duchovny are attached to Coogler’s pilot.
Deadwyler is best known for her roles in films like “The Harder They Fall,” “Till,” and “Carry-On.” She has also played memorable parts in shows like “Atlanta,” “The Bear,” and “Station Eleven,” with appearances in other series like “P-Valley,” “From Scratch,” and “Greenleaf.”
Coogler has established himself as one of the most in-demand and celebrated filmmakers of his time. He is currently making the awards show rounds with “Sinners,” which he wrote, directed, and produced. The film recently set a new Oscars record with 16 nominations, the most for any single film in one year. Coogler is up for best director and best original screenplay, while the film itself is up for best picture. Coogler most recently made history by becoming the first Black person to win a BAFTA Award for best original screenplay.
Coogler’s other film credits the two “Black Panther” films for Marvel, the “Creed” franchise, and “Fruitvale Station.” Coogler was also a producer on the Oscar-winning film “Judas and the Black Messiah.”
Coogler is repped by WME, M88, The Lede Company, and Cohen & Gardner. Deadwyler is repped by Paradigm Talent Agency, Play Management, and Ziffren Brittenham. Carter is repped by CAA and Gang Tyre.