Beloved X-Files Star Teases Return for Ryan Coogler’s Reboot
Ryan Coogler’s reimagining of The X-Files is finally shifting from rumor to reality, with Danielle Deadwyler and Himesh Patel set as the new FBI duo at its core. The biggest mystery still unsolved: how this version will tie into the original mythology—and what it means for Mulder and Scully.
Ryan Coogler's new take on The X-Files is finally looking real. The show has locked its leads, and one major alum just weighed in on whether he thinks there is a spot for his character this time around.
So, what is this new X-Files?
Coogler's reboot has lined up Danielle Deadwyler and Himesh Patel as the new FBI agents at the center of the series. That much is set. What is not set: how, or if, the legacy cast slides back in. Gillian Anderson has been publicly supportive of Coogler's approach, but she has not committed to appearing. No other returning players have been named either.
Robert Patrick on coming back as Doggett
Robert Patrick, who joined The X-Files in season 8 after David Duchovny exited as a series regular, was asked by ComicBook about reprising John Doggett while he was promoting his horror film Mermaid (in theaters April 8). He loves the character and the franchise, but he is not convinced Doggett belongs in this version.
"John Doggett is my favorite character I have ever played... I don't really think John Doggett fits in this reboot."
Patrick also called himself a big Coogler fan and even referenced something he called 'Sinners ' that he loved. Not sure what title he meant there, but the point was: he is pro-Coogler.
Why he thinks there is no room for Doggett
Doggett was initially written off by some fans as a Mulder stand-in, but he turned out to be even more skeptical than Scully and ultimately won over a lot of viewers across seasons 8 and 9. Still, he has been absent ever since: he did not appear in the 2008 movie The X-Files: I Want to Believe, and he was a no-show during the two revival seasons in the 2010s. Patrick says past attempts to bring The X-Files back actually checked his availability, but he was booked on other shows and it never lined up. For Coogler's reboot specifically, he says no one has checked with him, and he just does not see Doggett fitting the plan right now. He is curious to see where Coogler takes it, though.
What we actually know right now
- Danielle Deadwyler and Himesh Patel are set as the new FBI leads.
- Legacy involvement is TBD: Gillian Anderson supports the idea but has not committed; no other veterans have been announced.
- Hulu has ordered a pilot. A full series pickup will come after that decision, a pretty standard approach (similar to how that recent Buffy revival move played out).
- Robert Patrick would love to return in theory, but he doubts Doggett fits this iteration and says he has not been contacted for this production.
- Historically, Doggett has been left out of post-season-9 projects: not in the 2008 film, not in the 2010s revival seasons.
Bottom line
If you are a Doggett diehard, do not get your hopes up for the pilot. That said, Coogler knows and loves this universe, and if the show goes beyond episode one, a cameo or even just a nod is not impossible. For now, the focus is clearly on Deadwyler and Patel, with Coogler building a fresh entry point — and keeping the old guard on the maybe shelf.