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I get it, X-Files fans - I want new Dana Scully adventures on my screen as much as the next person. And for some, a recent interview with Ryan Coogler, who revealed that an X-Files reboot is "immediately next" on his schedule, was as good as confirmation that that's what we'll be getting. But while it's true that the Sinners and Black Panther director did talk about Gillian Anderson in a chat with The Last Podcast on the Left crew, his comments weren't exactly the hint at her involvement that so many folks are (understandably!) looking for.

Before we get into those comments, let's take a moment to discuss what The Last Podcast on the Left is for those unfamiliar. While it deals with outrageously dark, often true crime material, The Last Podcast on the Left is a show hosted by comedians, and as such, is played for laughs a great deal of the time. That's important to keep in mind because sometimes, when the LPotL crew asks a question, it's less of a journalistic inquiry and more of a set-up to a punchline.

OK, now let's get to this Ryan Coogler interview.

Coogler appeared on The Last Podcast on the Left to promote Sinners, the vampire flick and box office smash that Coogler made instead of Black Panther 3. During the course of this interview, the Last Podcast crew asked Coogler what was next, and he revealed that the big project on his mind was the X-Files reboot.

"That's what's immediately next," the director told his interviewers, "I've been excited about that for a long time and I'm fired up to get back to it. Some of those episodes, if we do our jobs right, will be really fucking scary."

That's when host, actor, and comedian (pay attention here) Henry Zebrowski asked Coogler if he was "talking to Gillian Anderson." Coogler and Zebrowski's co-host Ed Larson immediately start laughing, as Zebrowski continues, "Did you tell her I said hello? I waved at her one time."

In response, Coogler does everything he can to avoid answering this (already jokey) question definitively. Yes, he says, he's spoken to the "incredible" Anderson, but does not say it was about returning to the X-Files (in fact, the director clarifies later that he spoke to her as she was wrapping a different projetc: Tron: Ares). Yes, Coogler also says "fingers crossed there," but doesn't that statement even kind of imply that Anderson is not already involved? You don't cross your fingers for something you think is going to happen, do you?

But maybe the best refutation of Anderson's current involvement comes from the Sex Education actress herself. In 2024, Anderson appeared on the Today show and touched on the then-possibility of an X-Files reboot helmed by Coogler, whom she called "a bit of a genius." 

"There’s a chance [an X-Files reboot] happen," Anderson said no-committaly, "Whether I am involved in it is a whole other thing. I’m not saying no. I think [Coogler]’s really cool and I think if he did it, it would probably be done incredibly well. And maybe I’ll pop in for a little something something."

Folks, I take no pleasure in dampening your hopes for a Ryan Coogler-directed, Gillian Anderson-starring X-Files reboot. As a massive fan of both of their bodies of work and the populace's growing fascination with the horror genre, I would be first in line to watch their collaboration. I just think that, as Scully herself would say, it's better to take a good look at what the reality of a situation is, rather than let it be tainted by what we want to believe about it.

Then again, I supposed "Wanting to believe" is sort of The X-Files' whole thing, isn't it?

Ryan Coogler's Sinners is in theaters now.

In the immortal words of Danny Elfman, "Life's no fun without a good scare." We couldn't agree more, which is why we've cobbled together a couple pieces to send a chill up your spine. Join Popverse as we explore:

• The best horror movies of all time, according to horror aficionado Greg Silber
• The most underrated horror movies from the past couple years
• All the new and upcoming horror movies for 2025 and beyond

And much gore. Er, more. Much more.