The X-Files Has Been Renewed For Another Season

The X-Files is coming back. It has been confirmed that the hugely popular sci-fi mystery show has been renewed for another season, which will premiere later this year.

The show's renewal was announced by Fox TV boss David Madden, who confirmed that stars David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson would be back, along with the show's creator Chris Carter. "Iconic characters, rich storytelling, bold creators--these are the hallmarks of great TV shows. And they are some of the reasons why The X-Files has had such a profound impact on millions of fans worldwide," Madden said in a statement.

"Chris's creativity, along with the brilliant work of David and Gillian, continue to propel this pop culture phenomenon, and we can't wait to see what fresh mysteries Mulder and Scully uncover in this next chapter."

The X-Files first returned to screens for a limited-run season in early 2016, after more than a decade away. Although the new season met with mixed reviews, it proved a ratings hit. The season premiere was watched by more than 20 million viewers in the US, and the show was one of the most popular of the year.

The X-Files originally ran for nine years, and clocked up 202 episodes between 1993 and 2002. By the time the last of those original seasons had ended, it had become the longest-running consecutive sci-fi series ever on US broadcast TV. There were also two spinoff movies: 1998's The X-Files: Fight the Future, and The X-Files: I Want to Believe in 2008.