David Duchovny: ‘I’d love to make another ‘X-Files’ movie’

Series remains viable as long as he and Gillian Anderson are around to play Mulder and Scully

David Duchovny has admitted that is keen to make another X-Files movie.

The franchise has remained dormant since its second big screen outing, 2008’s The X-Files: I Want To Believe, which performed poorly at the box office. Last week (August 3), long-time show writer Frank Spotnitz called it a “cultural crime” that the series has not been finished and urged 20th Century Fox to commission a third movie before “it’s too late”.

However, in an interview with Collider, Duchovny insisted that The X-Files will remain viable so long as he and co-star Gillian Anderson are around to play Mulder and Scully. He insisted: “That book doesn’t close until somebody dies, really. One of the greatnesses of the show was its open-endedness. It was about possibility. It wasn’t about closure. It just couldn’t be. There is no such thing as that story ever ending. Those characters are forever searching. That’s what they do. Even if we’re not watching them, they’re out there, in some dimension.”

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Duchovny also revealed that X-Files creator Chris Carter is “probably working on an idea” for a new movie and insisted that he and the team remain keen. However, according to Duchovny, they face apathy from 20th Century Fox. He explained: “I would love to do another film, or more. I think we’re all game for it. I know I’m kind of perplexed that Fox isn’t more [enthusiastic].”

Discussing the lack of enthusiasm from the studio, Duchovny continued: “Here’s a homegrown property that you don’t have to go buy, like fuckin’ Green Lantern or something, to make it. Here you’ve got an actual action franchise that’s your own. It’s weird to me, but I’m not an executive. I don’t know if they made the Green Lantern either, but I’m just using that as an example of, “Why make that film? Why not make a homegrown franchise that is excellent, and that has proven to be excellent and interesting?” I don’t get it, but that’s not my business.”

Duchovny also discussed the disappointing performance of 2008’s The X-Files: I Want To Believe, blaming budget and a release date too close to Batman blockbuster The Dark Knight. He explained: “Unfortunately, with the last one, they didn’t spend the money to compete in a summer fashion, and they brought it out in the summer. It should be a summer film. It should be an action film. But the last one we made was not. The last one we made was a dark, contemplative, small $25 million (£16 million) film. It was basically an independent film. When you come out against Batman, it’s not going to happen. You’re not going to be sold as an independent film, and you’re not going to compete against Batman with $25 million.”

Duchovny, 52, now stars in US comedy-drama series Californication, whose sixth season is currently in production. His latest film, indie feature Goats, is released in the US today (August 10).

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