Posted By: Elizabeth Tindal
Entertainment – Hollywood Reporter
Thu Feb 21, 2:02 AM ET
Duchovny will reprise role for ‘X-Files’ finale
By Nellie Andreeva
LOS ANGELES (The Hollywood Reporter) — The Mulder mystery is solved: David Duchovny has cut a deal with Fox to star in “The X-Files’ ” two-hour finale and to direct an upcoming episode.
“X-Files” creator Chris Carter said that recruiting Duchovny for the series’ May 19 finale was crucial in order to give the show a proper send-off on the small screen and to set up the story threads for the next “X-Files” feature. Duchovny left the show last season after settling a lawsuit he filed against Fox over his share of the syndication profits from the 20th Century Fox TV production.
“He sees that it’s the right thing to do, given all that we’ve done together, and it fits in with where we are taking the show” in the future, Carter said. He wouldn’t discuss plans for the theatrical. “Everybody wants to do it, including the studio, but right now I don’t want to get ahead of myself. I just want to finish the series,” Carter said.
Carter wouldn’t offer any hints about the story line of the finale, which he is writing and which will be directed by co-executive producer Kim Manners. It will reunite Duchovny’s character, Agent Fox Mulder, with Gillian Anderson’s Dana Scully, who has had a new partner for the past two seasons, Agent John Doggett (Robert Patrick).
Duchovny also is set to direct the April 28 “X-Files” episode, based on a story idea he co-wrote with Carter and executive producer Frank Spotnitz. “It’s an interesting story because it involves the return of Mulder or someone we believe is Mulder,” Carter said.
Duchovny helmed two episodes of “The X-Files,” one of which guest-starred Jesse Martin and was written by Duchovny. The other featured his wife, Tea Leoni, and Garry Shandling.
Duchovny, who co-stars in the upcoming Steven Soderbergh film “Full Frontal,” is represented by CAA and Melanie Greene Management.
Cynthia Littleton contributed to this report.