Movies Coming Soon: The X-Files: I Want to Believe

Here’s what we do know about “The X-Files: I Want to Believe.” Series creator Chris Carter directs, while series stars David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson are back as Special Agents Mulder (the Believer) and Scully (the Skeptic). The film, which Carter co-wrote with “X-Files” alum Frank Spotnitz, is a standalone vehicle that doesn’t require any previous knowledge of the television show, while providing sufficient tidbits to satisfy the legion of rabid “X-Files” fans. But if you’d like to refresh your memory of the show’s intricate web of conspiracies and forbidden knowledge, consult TV.com’s episode guide.

Apparently, there are no aliens in this film; rather, Mulder and Scully have a “terrestrial conspiracy” on their hands, involving abducted women and frozen bodies. The film was shot largely in Vancouver, Canada, and the trailer has the main characters tromping around in the snow and looking very thoughtful and concerned.   

Of course, when you try to keep the plot of a major motion picture such a secret, it only makes fans more ravenous for the inside scoop. Case in point: when photos of an actor dressed in a werewolf costume were “leaked” online, the news zoomed around the globe before the next full moon. But those rumors were soon followed by another that the werewolf was a hoax: the filmmakers released those photos to keep the masses off the scent. Intrigued? Confused? If you’re the type who likes trying to keep up with the latest rumors, speculation, gossip and blog postings, there is an excellent fan blog that will keep you up to date on all things Filed under X. Conspiracy theorists beware: you need to register for the site to get to the good stuff. It’s a simple process, but hey, you might be transmitting your e-mail address to aliens in another dimension. You never really know, do you?

As we all know, “The truth is out there”; if you happen to be a stickler for the truth, you can go to MovieWeb’s site for a extensive set of links to the latest official print and video interviews with the cast and crew.

If you’ve gotten this far and are still wondering what the fuss is all about, you might want to check out the complete original series on DVD, or start slow with Season 1. The X-Files series ran for 6 years, and won a Golden Globe for Best TV Series—Drama in 1995 and 1997.

Between “X-Files” gigs, David Duchovny has made a series of mostly forgettable films, and now is starring in “Californication,” a Showtime series about a slacker sex addict. The fansite Duchovny.Net provides Duchovny’s complete filmography, news and the entire transcript of his 1995 appearance on “Celebrity Jeopardy” (He lost to Stephen King).

Gillian Anderson is also best known for her role on the “X-Files,” where she won the Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series in 1997. She has appeared in a few low-profile but high-prestige film and television projects, including “The House of Mirth,” as well as a string of well-received London stage performances.