In May 2015, in an interview with
Entertainment Weekly, co-star
David Duchovny stated that if the
2016 revival were successful, he would be interested in another renewal, stating, "I would be open to doing another cycle. I don't know that I could do a 20-episode version of this show at this point in my life, and I don't know that Gillian could. But I think everybody is open ended on what happens after this. Certainly, we didn't bring it back with the idea of ending it." At the 2016
Television Critics Association panel for the series, creator
Chris Carter stated, "If we do well in the ratings, I can't imagine we wouldn't be asked to do more." Fox Television Group chairman and CEO Gary Newman stated that he and fellow executive Dana Walden would be open to another renewal, stating, "We would love to do this again, so we'd be on board if schedules can be worked out." In an interview with
Variety prior to the premiere, co-star
Gillian Anderson, Duchovny, and Walden stated their willingness for another renewal. In an interview with
TV Guide, Carter reaffirmed plans for more episodes, but stressed that everyone involved is waiting on the success of the season. In May 2016, Walden confirmed that there had been conversations about an eleventh season possibly for the 2017–18 television season. On April 20, 2017, Fox announced that
The X-Files would be returning for an eleventh season of ten episodes, which would air in the
2017–18 television season after filming in mid-2017.
Writing The writing staff for the eleventh season consists of Chris Carter,
Glen Morgan,
Darin Morgan,
James Wong, and newcomers who were all previously part of
The X-Files production staff,
Gabe Rotter (writers assistant), Benjamin Van Allen (writers assistant) and Brad Follmer (Carter's personal assistant). In August 2017, it was announced that three female writers were added to the staff. Karen Nielsen, who worked as a script coordinator on season 10, wrote one episode, and
Kristen Cloke and Shannon Hamblin wrote another episode based on a story by Glen Morgan. The season, consisting of 10 episodes, has two
mythology episodes (the premiere and finale) and eight standalone episodes; however, several critics have considered episode five, "
Ghouli", to also be a mythology episode.
Casting In addition to Duchovny and Anderson,
Mitch Pileggi was confirmed to reprise his role, as
Walter Skinner. Also returning are
William B. Davis as
Cigarette Smoking Man and
Annabeth Gish as
Monica Reyes. In August 2017, it was confirmed that
Robbie Amell and
Lauren Ambrose would reprise their roles Agents Miller and Einstein from season ten. In September 2017, it was announced that
Karin Konoval–who played Mrs. Peacock in the fourth-season episode "
Home"–would play new characters in the eleventh season, in what Carter described as a "tour-de-force performance". Anderson commented that this is her final season of
The X-Files, saying, "I've said from the beginning this is it for me." However, Chris Carter affirmed he would not do
The X-Files without her character, saying, "For me,
The X-Files is Mulder and Scully. I think if it were without Scully, I wouldn't do it. That's not my
X-Files." The writers intended to bring back
Robert Patrick as his character
John Doggett, but he was unavailable due to scheduling issues as he was filming for his TV series
Scorpion. In February 2018, Carter stated in an interview that he could see the show continuing without Anderson.
Filming Filming began in August 2017 in
Vancouver, British Columbia, where the previous season was filmed, along with the show's original five seasons. After controversy sparked regarding the lack of female writers or directors on the series, it was announced in August 2017 that Carol Banker, a script supervisor on the original series who also directed an episode of
The Lone Gunmen and
Holly Dale were added as directors. ==Reception==