“X-Files” Animated Spinoff Series Gets the Chop, Will Not Move Forward

Fox has announced that “The X-Files: Albuquerque,” a proposed animated spinoff series, will no longer be produced. This decision comes shortly after the announcement that an “X-Files” reboot is in the works with director Ryan Coogler attached to the project. Fox declined to comment on the reason for canceling “Albuquerque,” but it is speculated that Coogler’s new “X-Files” show will not be produced under that network, suggesting that the franchise rights may have been sold. The series, executive produced by original “X-Files” creator Chris Carter, was set to focus on an office of agents investigating cases even too outlandish for Mulder or Scully to tackle, and was intended to be a comedy in the same style as shows like “Star Trek: Lower Decks.”

The original “X-Files” show ran from 1993 to 2002 and included two full-length feature films in 1998 and 2008. The series was revived in 2016 and 2018, leaving the story open without actual closure. The departure of star Gillian Anderson from the series has left the overall “X-Files” story in a state of perpetual limbo, with no wrap-up in sight. With “Albuquerque” now officially canceled, Ryan Coogler’s reboot is the only path left for “The X-Files.”

“The X-Files” franchise has undergone internal shakeups, suggesting the current series is essentially dead in its current form, making it a thing of the past. The franchise started as a quirky, eerie, and endearing series surrounding the mysteries of the paranormal, but it has since morphed into a confusing and jumbled mess where the large-scale conspiracy narrative was turned inward on its main characters.

It’s disheartening to see how quickly franchises can fly off their rails and disappoint their once-adoring fans.