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The X-Files adaptations: films & series
Every version of The X-Files — the films & series, compared across media.
The X-Files began as a television series following FBI Special Agents Fox Mulder and Dana Scully — a believer and a skeptic — as they investigate paranormal and unexplained cases the Bureau has pushed to its margins. Their partnership anchors every version of this story, and the central tension between Mulder's conviction that the truth is out there and Scully's scientific doubt carries across both films and the original series. These works span television and cinema, each revisiting that world.
The X-Files films
The X-Files series
Frequently asked
Is The X-Files based on a book?
No — The X-Files originated as a television series in 1993. The two films, The X-Files (1998) and The X-Files: I Want to Believe (2008), are extensions of the TV universe rather than adaptations of written source material.
How many versions of The X-Files are there?
There are three screen versions: the original The X-Files TV series (1993), and two films — The X-Files (1998) and The X-Files: I Want to Believe (2008) — all centred on agents Mulder and Scully.
Which X-Files adaptation should I start with?
Start with the The X-Files TV series (1993), which introduces Mulder, Scully, and the mythology. The 1998 film and I Want to Believe (2008) build on that foundation and are best appreciated after watching the series.