MIPCOM cheers X-Files world premiere

Industry and media became fanboys (and fangirls) all over again when The X-Files had its World Premiere at MIPCOM in Cannes.

A packed house watched FBI Agents Mulder and Scully return to sleuthing, in the first of its six episodes.

According to the Hollywood Reporter the crowd whooped and cheered as the closing credits rolled. But perhaps the biggest applause came earlier, when the opening credits — with The X-Files trademark intro music — hit the screen.

In a Q&A Creator Chris Carter said, “I never imagined that I‘d be sitting here in Cannes introducing more television episodes! It’s surreal. It’s really a dream come true for me to do something. I’ve been doing this now for roughly a little over a third of my life. I jumped at the chance to do it.

“Every day I look at the newspaper and I see a possible X-Files episode, so this is obviously something that – I did it for a long time and you never quite lose the eye for what would be good X-Files storytelling. It’s a perfect time to come back with the X-Files considering global politics.”

Carter said he always describes himself as “equal parts of Mulder and Scully”, and has always said that this is a long story about faith.

“It’s about my faith as well. My faith in science. Believe it or not, I’m a sceptic. I’ve never been visited by aliens believe it nor not. It’s a story about the modern pursuit of science by scientists,” he said. “If it weren’t for the science, this would be just another show about the paranormal.

“The reason I think the show is popular and has been successful these many years is really David and Gillian and the characters of Mulder and Scully. If not for them, the anchor wouldn’t be there,” he said.

“We’ve told good stories along the way, but without those two characters and their involvement, I think you’d have had less of a show.”

He continued. “They both have been on a personal quest. Scully is still a scientist through and through. Her heart lies in reason and logic. And Mulder’s heart lies in the truth, and the answers lie beyond the pale, beyond the realm of what is accepted science.”

Carter said that this is not quite a full new season of the X Files, given its six episodes. “It’s a very brief season 10, even though it took us a long time to make this show. It took a long time to get going. There was a chance we were going to make seven episodes so there were lots of questions unanswered,” he said.

Asked about the future potential for new episodes, Carter was optimistic. “I love telling X-Files stories. The truth is out there! If we satisfy audience expectations, certainly there’s an opportunity,” he said.

Episode 1 of The X-Files screens October 10 at New York Comic-Con, followed by a Q&A with Carter and Duchovny and airs in the US in late January.

You can read more on the Q&A at MIPCOM.