The X-Files (Franchise)

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The X-Files
The brand logo of "The X Files", first introduced in November 5, 2000 on its 8th Season
Created by	Chris Carter
Original work	The X-Files
Print publications
Book(s)	Literature
Comics	Comics
Films and television
Film(s)	The X-Files The X-Files: I Want to Believe
Television series	The X-Files Millennium The Lone Gunmen
Audio
Original music	Music of The X-Files

The X-Files is an American science fiction–thriller media franchise created by Chris Carter. The franchise generally focused on paranormal or unexplained happenings. The first franchise release—simply titled The X-Files—debuted in September 1993 and ended in May 2002. The show was a hit for Fox, and its characters and slogans (e.g., "The Truth Is Out There", "Trust No One", "I Want to Believe") became pop culture touchstones in the 1990s. 1996 saw the premiere of a second series set in the same universe but covering a storyline independent of the X-Files mythology, titled Millennium. In 1998, the first X-Files feature film titled The X-Files was released, eventually grossing over $180 million. A spin-off—The Lone Gunmen—was released in 2001 and abruptly canceled. Six years after the initial television series was canceled, another film—The X-Files: I Want to Believe—was released. In January 2016, a tenth season of The X-Files aired, featuring Carter as executive producer and writer, and starring David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson. An eleventh season premiered in January 2018.

In addition to film and television, The X-Files franchise has expanded into other media, including books, video games, and comic books. These supplements to the film and television series have resulted in significant development of the show's fictional universe and mythology. By May 2002, the franchise generated $1 billion in total revenue.

Television series

Series	Television seasons											Duration
	1993/94	1994/95	1995/96	1996/97	1997/98	1998/99	1999/00	2000/01	2001/02	2015/16	2017/18
The X-Files	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	1993–2002, 2016–present
Millennium				1	2	3	Finale					1996–99
The Lone Gunmen								1	Finale			2001

The X-Files, starring David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson, first aired on September 10, 1993. Originally following the work of Special Agent Fox Mulder, an FBI investigator assigned to the X-Files, a division tasked with the solving of cases for which there are no explanation. Special Agent Dana Scully, a shrewd medical doctor, is assigned to debunk Mulder's work, though as the two continue to investigate the unexplained and the paranormal, her own faith is also tested. Scully later works alongside both John Doggett (Robert Patrick) and Monica Reyes (Annabeth Gish). The X-Files is generally divided into two classes of episodes, the first, "monster-of-the-week", or stand-alone episodes, and the second, X-Files mythology, which follows a government conspiracy to hide the truth about the existence of extraterrestrial life. The series also stars Mitch Pileggi as Assistant Director Walter Skinner, William B. Davis as The Smoking Man and John Neville as Well-Manicured Man.

Millennium, aired from 1996 to 1999, stars Lance Henriksen as Frank Black, a skilled criminal psychologist who could predict the actions of murderers and serial killers. Investigating the horrific crimes, Black eventually became a consultant for the Millennium Group, which believed that the world as we know it would come to an end at the beginning of the new millennium; a job which eventually leads to the demise of his wife, Catherine (Megan Gallagher). In the third season, Black turns on the group and rejoins the FBI as a special agent, working alongside Special Agent Emma Hollis (Klea Scott) to solve brutal crimes within the FBI's jurisdiction.

The Lone Gunmen, the third series in the X-Files franchise, follows the established characters of Richard Langly, Melvin Frohike and John Fitzgerald Byers (Bruce Harwood, Tom Braidwood, and Dean Haglund), in their attempts to compile conspiracy-theorist magazine. Far more light-hearted than its predecessors, this series also stars Stephen Snedden as Jimmy Bond, and Zuleikha Robinson as Yves Harlow.

The X-Files has crossed over with both Millennium and The Lone Gunmen, as well as The Simpsons (in the season 8 episode "The Springfield Files").

Characters

Character	Appearances					Actor	First	Last
	Series			Films
	TXF[a]	MLM[b]	TLG[c]	FTF[d]	IWTB[e]
Fox Mulder	Main	Cameo[note 1]	Guest	Main	Main	David Duchovny	1993	present
Dana Scully	Main	Cameo	align="center"	Main	Main	Gillian Anderson	1993	present
John Doggett	Main					Robert Patrick	2000	2002
Monica Reyes	Main					Annabeth Gish	2001	Present
Walter Skinner	Main		Guest	Guest	Guest	Mitch Pileggi	1994	present
Frank Black	Guest	Main				Lance Henriksen	1996	1999
Catherine Black		Main				Megan Gallagher	1996	1998
Emma Hollis		Main				Klea Scott	1998	1999
John Fitzgerald Byers	Recurring		Main	Guest		Bruce Harwood	1994	2016
Melvin Frohike	Recurring		Main	Guest		Tom Braidwood	1994	2016
Richard Langly	Recurring		Main	Guest		Dean Haglund	1994	2018
Jimmy Bond	Guest		Main			Stephen Snedden	2001	2002
Yves Harlow	Guest		Main			Zuleikha Robinson	2001	2002

Abbreviations

a. ^ The X-Files

b. ^ Millennium

c. ^ The Lone Gunmen

d. ^ The X-Files: Fight the Future

e. ^ The X-Files: I Want to Believe

Notes

a. ^ The character of Fox Mulder appears in season 1, episode 18 of Millennium, though he is not portrayed by David Duchovny.

b. ^ The character of Dana Scully appears in season 1, episode 18 of Millennium, though she is not portrayed by Gillian Anderson.