Who speaks for Earth? Plus: An X-Files reboot
Thanks for tuning back into the BeX Files! Slap on an FBI badge and practice your monotone banter, because this week we are re-opening The X-Files.
Rumors have circulated for years that Ryan Coogler—the Oscar-winning director of Sinners—is rebooting the classic UFO-inspired franchise for Hulu. Recently, Coogler has kicked the project into high gear by casting a pair of new FBI agent leads, played by Danielle Deadwyler and Himesh Patel, alongside an ensemble cast that includes Steve Buscemi and Amy Madigan. Fortunately, the city of Vancouver, British Columbia, is reprising its role as the backdrop for the series; the pilot is currently being filmed there.
Coogler has proved to be a deft handler of beloved IP, so I’m looking forward to seeing his take on adapting The X-Files for a new and very different era. To that end, I’m excited to share a long-read I co-wrote with Robin Seemangal for Supercluster about how the reboot might channel the claustrophobic mood of the 2020s in the same way that the original reflected the countercultural movements of the 1990s.
For example, we argue that the famous catchphrases “I want to believe” and “the truth is out there” have a more sinister valence today, compared to 30 years back. We explore how the mainstreaming of UFO culture and the advent of a digital panopticon has both popularized a belief in alien visitation and government coverups, while simultaneously fracturing ufological subcultures into a million evolving pieces.
It’s also worth remembering that Dana Scully, played by the inimitable Gillian Anderson, inspired so many women to pursue STEM careers that the phenomenon is now known as the “Scully effect.” It will be interesting to see if Coogler can strike a chord with a new generation of X-Philes and present updated role models against a backdrop of rising misogyny, xenophobia, and the full gamut of assorted bigotries.
The X-Files isn’t the only UFO throwback making a comeback. We are just weeks away from the release of Disclosure Day, Steven Spielberg’s latest extraterrestrial blockbuster, which is due out on June 12. On Wednesday, Spielberg appeared on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert—RIP!—to discuss his return to alien lore.
Spielberg said “empathy” is depicted as a “superpower” in the film and reflected on his long track record of onscreen aliens. He also put his own name forward as the official emissary for any extraterrestrials that visit in the future, challenging President Obama’s attempt to claim the gig in an interview with Colbert two weeks ago.
Becky Ferreira
“I love Barack, we’re friends, I love his family, but he’s had his eight years, you know?” Spielberg joked. “I’ve made all these movies where I’ve kind of played an ambassadorial role, but [aliens] have never shown themselves to me. Why is that? It’s so unfair.”
It seems that the classic catchphrase “take me to your leader” is inspiring some high-profile applications for the job. Who would you pick for the role? Is anyone worthy to represent Planet Earth as Ambassador to the Universe? Should it even be a human at all? It might be worth considering outsider candidates, such as Moo Deng or Bruce the kea parrot. Maru the cat would've been my top pick, but sadly he passed away last year. Drop me a line with your nomination, or any other thoughts, at thebxfiles@gmail.com.
While there’s still no slam-dunk signs of real aliens, we continue to unleash hoards of fictional versions into our collective imaginations.
With that pop-culture download complete, let’s close up the file. See you at the cosmic rest stop next week!
