The X-Files had only eight seasons.
The X-Files is an American science fiction -- thriller media franchise created by Chris Carter .. The X-Files. The X-Files ( film ). Chris Carter. Chris Carter ( screenwriter ). science fiction. science fiction. thriller. Thriller ( genre ). media franchise. media franchise. The franchise generally focused on paranormal or unexplained happenings .. paranormal. paranormal. The first franchise release -- simply titled The X-Files -- debuted in September 1993 and ended in May 2002 .. The X-Files. The X-Files ( film ). The show was a hit for Fox , and its characters and slogans -LRB- e.g. , `` The Truth Is Out There '' , `` Trust No One '' , `` I Want to Believe '' -RRB- became pop culture touchstones in the 1990s .. Fox. Fox Broadcasting Company. pop culture. pop culture. 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 .. Millennium. Millennium ( TV series ). X-Files mythology. Mythology of The X-Files. In 1998 , the first X-Files feature film titled The X-Files was released , eventually grossing over $ 180 million .. The X-Files. The X-Files ( film ). feature film. feature film. A spin-off -- The Lone Gunmen -- was released in 2001 and abruptly canceled .. The Lone Gunmen. The Lone Gunmen ( TV series ). Six years after the initial television series was canceled , another film -- The X-Files  : I Want to Believe -- was released .. The X-Files. The X-Files ( film ). 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 .. The X-Files. The X-Files ( film ). tenth season. The X-Files ( season 10 ). David Duchovny. David Duchovny. Gillian Anderson. Gillian Anderson. An eleventh season will premiere in the 2017-18 television season .. In addition to film and television , The X-Files franchise has expanded into other media , including books , video games , and comic books .. The X-Files. The X-Files ( film ). books. The X-Files literature. comic books. The X-Files ( comics ). These supplements to the film and television series have resulted in significant development of the show 's fictional universe and mythology .