‘X-Files’ Reboot Adds ‘The Odyssey’ Star Himesh Patel Alongside Danielle Deadwyler

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Hulu is moving forward with a pilot for a new version of The X-Files, directed by Ryan Coogler, who also directed the acclaimed film Sinners. Danielle Deadwyler, known for her role in Till, has already been cast as one of the lead detectives. The original The X-Files followed two investigators – famously Fox Mulder and Dana Scully, played by David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson – as they explored unexplained phenomena, and this reimagining will follow a similar format.

According to Deadline, Himesh Patel will star in the new X-Files pilot alongside Danielle Deadwyler. They will play FBI partners, but not as the iconic characters of Mulder and Scully. Instead, they’ll be entirely new characters who develop a unique connection while investigating unexplained cases in a previously closed-off division. The casting is being overseen by Francine Maisler, who recently received an Oscar nomination for Best Casting.

Dev Patel first gained recognition for his work on the popular British TV show EastEnders. He made his big-screen debut in Danny Boyle’s 2019 film Yesterday, and later appeared in Christopher Nolan’s Tenet. He’s currently working with Nolan again on the upcoming film The Odyssey, where he plays Eurylochus. Patel also starred in the miniseries Station Eleven and had a memorable appearance as John Watson in Enola Holmes 2, a role he’s reprising in Enola Holmes 3 later this year.

The X-Files was a hugely popular TV show that aired on Fox for nine seasons, from 1993 to 2002. It followed FBI agents as they investigated mysterious, unsolved cases – often involving strange and unexplained events. The show also spawned two movies, released in 1998 and 2008, and briefly returned to television with new seasons in 2016 and 2018.

Rumors about a revival of The X-Files began in 2023, sparked by director Ryan Coogler’s desire to reboot the show, a series his mother greatly enjoyed. Hulu confirmed a pilot order in February 2026, with original creator Chris Carter returning as an executive producer and Jennifer Yale taking the lead as showrunner. Gillian Anderson, a star of the original series, has suggested she’s seen the script, potentially indicating her involvement in the new pilot.

Even though a sequel to a well-loved 1990s TV show, with an Academy Award-winning director involved, would normally be an easy approval for Hulu, fans shouldn’t assume it’s guaranteed. Earlier in March 2026, Hulu decided not to move forward with a pilot for a continuation of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, even though Sarah Michelle Gellar was set to reprise her role and the pilot was directed by Oscar winner Chloé Zhao. Hopefully, Ryan Coogler’s pilot for The X-Files will have a better outcome.

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2026-03-26 20:48