Star of Ryan Coogler's The X-Files reboot says there's a "massive amount of pressure" on the new series – but not for the reasons you might think

Leading the reboot of one of the most beloved sci-fi series has to come with a bit of trepidation, but according to star Danielle Deadwyler, the biggest pressure comes from the fact that Ryan Coogler is dedicating his X-Files remake to his mother.

"That's a massive amount of pressure. It's his mom," said The Woman in the Yard star Deadwyler to Variety in an interview posted on Twitter. "I dedicate so much to my mom, and my ability to do my work is in part due to my mother, because I am a mother to my son, and I wouldn't get to do anything I get to do without her."

Coogler has made it clear that one of his reasons for rebooting the sci-fi '90s thriller show is that his mother is a huge fan of the original. In an earlier interview with Variety, the Sinners director said he wants "to do right by her and the fans." However, Coogler says his mom has already read "some of the stuff I wrote for it," and she approves. "She’s fired up.”

Unlike Coogler's mother, Deadwyler says she isn't as much of a hard-core X-Files fan. "I didn't watch it consistently and religiously," said the star. "But I did see glimpses of some episodes, and I was into it."

The original show, which premiered in 1993, followed Gillian Anderson's Agent Dana Scully and David Duchovny's Agent Fox Mulder as they team up to investigate a string of paranormal cases. The franchise ran for nine seasons and even produced two feature films. In 2016, the pair returned for two more seasons before closing the door on the show.

Coogler is keeping his reboot under tight wraps, but we do know that iteration will follow a new pair of FBI agents played by Deadwyler and Himesh Patel. The show is set to release on Hulu, with original showrunner Chris Carter on board as executive producer. Although she's not set to return, Anderson has read the pilot script and says the reboot is "really good," urging fans to "Have an open mind and give it a chance because it's gonna be f***ing cool."

Coogler's X-Files show does not yet have a release date. While we wait for more details, check out our guide to the best new TV shows still to come in 2026.