The X-Files creator Chris Carter wanted to make a more horrific movie

Chris Carter says the 2008 film The X-Files: I Want to Believe was softened after 20th Century Fox pushed back on his darker, more grisly ideas. A new director’s cut for Hulu aims to bring the movie closer to Carter’s intended story about faith and the supernatural.

The release reflects a broader trend of streaming platforms reviving legacy franchises through alternate cuts and creator-driven versions. For fans, it may reframe a divisive entry in The X-Files canon while giving Hulu a nostalgia play with built-in audience interest.