Source: X-Files News | Big Light | X17 Online
Posted By: Dan Geer
Normally I don’t post articles that I consider to be just rumor, but I thought this was too interesting to pass up.
In the last week or so, photos have been taken of X-Files creator Chris Carter hanging out with David Duchovny in various public places. The first was at a Dodgers game from July 10th, where Duchovny threw the first pitch of the day. The second is of Duchovny and Carter at the beach about a week or so later. Could this mean that they are meeting to discuss the third X-Files film… kind of? Hit the jump for more and to take a peek at the photos!
A fan named “Dr. Jen” wrote to X-Files producer Frank Spotnitz on Big Light the other day about the matter:
There is a photo on facebook of Chris Carter and David Duchovny at the Dodgers Game Saturday.
The person who took the photo asked about XF3. His answer was a nod yes and knocked on his head (knock on wood?).
So, what do you think?
Half my friends think you will not answer at all and the other half say if you do, you’ll use that famous obfuscate and misdirect thing you and CC do so well. “Bob and weave as if his life depended on it,” I believe was the quote.
Dr. Jen
Chicago
Spotnitz’s response was simply, “Insert the appropriate obfuscation and misdirection. (And don’t give up!)” For those of you who don’t know or remember, “Don’t give up” is a line the character “Father Joe” says to Scully in The X-Files: I Want to Believe. Spotnitz often says this to fans who are looking for the third X-Files movie to get the green light.
Obviously, Carter and Duchovny are also friends and these photos could just be of them hanging out for fun. But the fact that they hung out two times within a week and a half or so might be saying something, as well as the fact that Carter sort of hinted that things may be moving forward with the third film in the franchise.
Again, nothing is officially confirmed. The X-Files 3 has NOT yet been given the green light to go into production. But it could mean that it just might very well happen soon. I suppose we won’t know until they officially confirm it.
You can also head on over to X-Files News to view a photo of David Duchovny throwing the first pitch at the Dodgers game.
Courtney said
August 16 2010
I hate that they continue to toy around with us. Haven’t they put shippers through enough already? I watched The End, from Season 5 & Existence from Season 8 today. They both revolve around the mythology arc that the entire series was based on. If you watch the last 2 episodes, entitled The Truth- it still leaves so many unanswered questions. I Want to Believe was a tease, again toying with shippers. All I’m going to say is that so many tv shows have tried to copy cat what the X-Files had created. Whether its feeding into mythology or the paranormal realm, or trying to ship characters-although nothing is ever as genuine as the X-Files. I’m not looking to re-open anything, just looking for closure.
Everything led up to the inevitable 2012. With todays technology, and the experience and dedication that both Gillian and David have towards their characters Chris Carter and everyone else would be foolish to not go forward. If you think about it, the whole hysteria of 2012 probably wouldn’t exist without XF.
Ed said
August 22 2010
Courtney I agree with pretty much everything you said. You also have to remember that as far as we can tell, all the cast and crew seem to be onboard with a third film, but the bottom line is it will always come down to Fox in the end on whether or not this gets the green light.
I don’t know much about the film industry, but to me it seems there should really be no question on whether or not this film gets made. Closure is needed with the mythology storyline, as you said the last episode of the series only asked more questions that need to be answered. But besides that, from a business standpoint, I believe that Fox owes it to Chris Carter and the X-Files that this movie gets made. In my opinion this was one of a handful of shows that put Fox on the map in the early 90’s.
If it does get the green light, we know that they will want to release this movie in 2012, probably around June or July. If that’s the case, production wouldn’t begin until 2011. We’ll just have to wait, and hope.
Logan said
October 3 2010
I think a late summer to late fall 2012 release would suit a third X Files film better. Plopping it down in the middle of summer with the Avengers and Spiderman and Batman (again!) is NOT a good idea. Hopefully we’ll hear some good news on this soon. It would also be good to hear that not only will Fox greenlight a closing X-files story, but also throw more money at the budget than IWTB was granted. Icing on the cake would be if Bowman came back to direct – CC should stick to scripting.
Mulder said
October 20 2010
I always thought an appropriate time for TXF3 would be December 22, 2010…duh! and i just wonder if those papers in Chris’s hand at the beach could be X-Files…
Paul said
October 28 2010
Shippers: give it a break, we want the X Files! not a movie for you people only! go watch “moonlighting” or something
rick said
November 9 2010
Give us more X FILES!!! It was the best show on television bar none. Give us more. Some of us still believe…
brunoman17 said
November 12 2010
Nobody cares about the X-Files anymore. Chris Carter killed the movie franchise with that awful film “I Want To Believe”. Fox is not going to greenlight a third movie that only X-Files fans will see. Just because the movie will be based on the show mythology doesn’t guarantee the film will be a hit. The X-Files needs new blood creatively and that means reboot. I know the hardcore fans doesn’t want to hear this but given the success of the new Star Trek movie it’s more likely that Fox is heading toward that direction. If they do reboot the franchise I just hope Fox will pick the right filmmaker to take over. My two top choices is Christopher Nolan or David Fincher. Those two directors can breathe new life to a dead franchise.
Dan Geer said
November 12 2010
I’m not so sure people would be more accepting of a reboot. With Star Trek, the original actors were too old (or dead), and the last Next Generation film wasn’t well-received by the movie-going public. The obvious choice was to reboot. With The X-Files, however, I would think that people would wonder why they didn’t just get Gillian Anderson and David Duchovny back, since they’re still both perfectly capable of playing those characters again.
Regardless of how people felt about I Want to Believe (many more liked it than you might think), I highly doubt people would accept replacing Duchovny and Anderson. People weren’t very receptive of it when they tried it with the series, so I don’t think FOX would want to try that again – at least not right now. Based on the many comments people have posted on various movie websites, what people really want is Duchovny and Anderson playing those characters again, but in a much more sci-fi or paranormal setting. That’s what people have come to expect from The X-Files, which is mainly the reason why IWTB wasn’t well-received.
Another reason was marketing. People have to actually be aware that there’s an X-Files film coming out. Last time, FOX did such a horrible job marketing the film. There were hardly any trailers for it, and TV spots were virtually non-existent. If they make a good film that is true to the series, one that looks entertaining in the trailers and TV spots, and they advertise to the level that they did with Avatar, people will go and see it. I remember seeing ads for The Dark Knight all over the place, but hardly any for IWTB.
Which, by the way, brings me to my last point. With IWTB, they could not have picked a worse date to release the film, with it only being one week after the release of The Dark Knight. IWTB was not a summer blockbuster type of film to begin with, and everyone was in “Batman” mode for weeks, including myself. It was a great film, and people just weren’t in the mood for The X-Files. Or, like I said earlier, they didn’t even know there was a new X-Files film. TDK was a box office juggernaut, and it hurt IWTB’s chances of having a decent opening week. Regardless of the quality of the film, if IWTB was released when nothing else was coming out, like in September ‘08, it would have at least done better in its opening week if not overall.
In the end, people just want an entertaining story. In this case, they want something that feels like The X-Files, and the last film didn’t quite achieve that in the eyes of most of those that saw the film.
I do think it might be a good idea if someone else stepped into the director’s chair. I’d even be fine with Rob Bowman, who directed the first X-Files feature. But I’d say only Chris Carter knows where the franchise should go if it’s going to be about the alien mythology, so he should at least be shepherding the story if not writing it.
There’s still life left in the franchise and these characters. You’re right in that it might still not be a hit, but I think it is still possible and maybe even probable that it will be – if they do it right.
rick said
November 14 2010
X Files was the best show on American television bar none. It deserves a third chance. Come on Fox “third time is the charm!”
kami said
November 27 2010
We want more TXF ..
After lost serious this is the best show ever i saw.
and i believe if will be continue it will be successful because many peoples looking for TXF .
AJ said
November 29 2010
Dan, I agree with you about the directing. Chris Carter is certainly the man with the great ideas, but when it comes to translating those ideas to the screen, I would prefer someone like Rob Bowman (who directed the first film awesomely).
Nick said
January 16 2012
I’m about halfway through Season 8 of X-Files and still need to watch the second movie, but I’d love to see these guys complete a 3rd film. The chemistry between Duchovny and Anderson is too amazing to pass up. And from what I hear, the series still needs an ENDING! haha
Dan Geer said
January 19 2012
It’s an amazing series that fully intended to end the alien conspiracy mythology in a feature film and never got the chance due to legal complications. By the time all of that was settled, the show was off the air for 6 years and the creators of the show felt they needed to reintroduce people to The X-Files with a stand-alone movie. That movie fell flat for a lot of fans, and didn’t make the amount of money the studio wanted. So now it is really an uphill battle to get a third film made that ties up all the loose ends.