The Lone Gunmen Will Return to ‘The X-Files’ in 2016 … Somehow

Back in April, X-Files showrunner Chris Carter offered up a cryptic suggestion that the once spun-off, thrice-dead Lone Gunmen might return for the 2016 revival, and it seems that mystery is officially afoot. Not only with the conspiracy theorist hacker trio return to life for The X-Files event series, we know when the first official trailer might arrive.

For those unaware, The X-Files occasionally featured the trio of conspiracy theorist hackers Richard “Ringo” Langly (Dean Haglund), Melvin Frohike (Tom Braidwood) and John Fitzgerald Byers (Bruce Harwood), before FOX briefly attempted to spin the characters off into their own series. The group returned to The X-Files, only to be killed off, though the questionably-canonical X-Files Season 10 comic revealed they’d faked their demise.

Today, according to Haglund’s Twitter:

So while we don’t know how exactly the Gunmen will return to Mulder and Scully’s side, we at least have an inkling when the next teaser and/or trailer will arrive. Brace yourselves for Wayward extortion:

Thus far, FOX’s X-Files return has confirmed Mitch Pileggi and William B. Davis to reprise their roles beside David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson, while Community star Joel McHale will play a conservative pundit who tasks Mulder and Scully with investigating a woman claiming to have been abducted (The Americans star Annet Mahendru). Additionally, comedian and superfan Kumail Nanjiani will play a small role, while Flash star Robbie Amell and Six Feet Under alum Lauren Ambrose will play a pair of confident new FBI agents.

On the creative side, writers and producers Chris Carter, Glen Morgan and Jim Wong will return to write and direct, with Frank Spotnitz also eyed to pitch in, and composer Mark Snow also coming aboard.

Plenty more details and will arise in the meantime, but what should we make of the Lone Gunmen’s mysterious X-Files return? Is it worth sitting through an episode of Wayward Pines to find out?

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