Himesh Patel Says Ryan Coogler’s X-Files Reboot Pilot Has Wrapped Filming

Himesh Patel has confirmed that filming has wrapped on Ryan Coogler’s pilot for a new take on The X-Files, with the actor sharing the update while promoting Enola Holmes 3 and cautioning that Hulu has yet to order a full series.

TL;DR

• Himesh Patel confirmed the pilot for Ryan Coogler’s X-Files reboot has finished filming.
• Patel stars opposite Danielle Deadwyler; both play brand-new FBI agents, not Mulder and Scully.
• Hulu ordered only a pilot so far, filmed in Vancouver under the working title Alphabet Soup.
• Chris Carter, the franchise’s original creator, remains attached as an executive producer.

What Patel Confirmed

Patel gave the update in a chat with The Direct while promoting Enola Holmes 3, the Netflix mystery sequel that brings him back as Dr. John Watson. According to Collider, the actor confirmed the news while promoting the film, keeping details guarded but verifying that the cast and crew had completed work on the pilot.

Patel was careful not to give too much away. “I don’t want to say anything that’s going to get me disappeared. Needless to say, myself and Danielle Deadwyler are playing completely new characters, and we just wrapped on the pilot. If we get to do more… we’ll see where we go from there,” he said, in comments reported by Bleeding Cool.

Where the Project Stands

Ryan Coogler wrote and directed the pilot under his Proximity Media banner. According to Deadline, Jennifer Yale serves as showrunner, with original creator Chris Carter attached as a non-writing executive producer alongside Sev Ohanian and Zinzi Coogler.

The pilot was shot in Vancouver under the working title Alphabet Soup, according to The Direct. Hulu has not yet announced a series order, meaning the show’s future beyond the pilot remains undecided.

Stat: The original The X-Files ran for nine seasons between 1993 and 2002, plus two revival seasons in 2016 and 2018, totalling 218 episodes. Source: Bloody Disgusting

New Characters, Not New Mulder and Scully

Himesh Patel and Danielle Deadwyler are not stepping into the roles made famous by David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson. According to Variety, an individual with knowledge of the project said Deadwyler and Patel will be playing wholly new characters rather than new iterations of Fox Mulder and Dr. Dana Scully. The pair previously co-starred in HBO Max’s Station Eleven, for which Patel earned an Emmy nomination.

UK Talent Angle

Patel is British, born and raised in Cambridgeshire, and is no stranger to UK audiences through roles in Yesterday and the Enola Holmes franchise. His next big-screen appearance comes in Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey, out in UK cinemas on 17 July, a project Screen & Story covered when its latest trailer dropped.

What Happens Next

Hulu’s decision on a full series order is the next milestone. Reportedly, guest roles for the pilot have already gone to Amy Madigan, Steve Buscemi, Ben Foster, Devery Jacobs, Lochlyn Munro, Tantoo Cardinal, Joel D. Montgrand and Sofia Grace Clifton, according to Bloody Disgusting. Until Hulu decides, Patel and Deadwyler’s future in the franchise stays on hold.

---

Reported from publicly available interviews and verified press sources. Last reviewed 4 July 2026.