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The X-Files: I Want to Believe director’s cut Vrach Frankenshteyn unveils first-look trailer

The film is set to embrace horror elements that were previously cut.

Gillian Anderson as Dana Scully in The X-Files: I Want to Believe – Vrach Frankenshteyn

Disney+/Hulu

Published: Wednesday, 5 August 2026 at 11:33 am

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The X-Files may be getting a brand-new series in the form of Ryan Coogler's revival, but fans will be getting some more action to tide them over with a director's cut of sequel film I Want To Believe.

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The second X-Files feature film was released in 2008 - but now director Chris Carter is getting a second run at it with a new cut, which will bump the film up from a PG-13 rating to an R rating (similar to changing from a 12 to a 15 in the UK).

The new cut is titled The X-Files: I Want to Believe – Vrach Frankenshteyn and will restore horror elements that were previously cut from the film. It's set for release on Disney+ and Hulu on 14 August.

You can check out the trailer below, which sees the return of David Duchovny's Fox Mulder and Gillian Anderson's Dana Scully, and already clearly dials up the horror elements, displaying "a darker, frightening thriller exploring a real-life Dr Frankenstein."

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The official synopsis for the film reads: "When a group of women are mysteriously abducted, it becomes a case right out of The X-Files™️. Years after walking away from the FBI, Fox Mulder (David Duchovny) and Dr Dana Scully (Gillian Anderson) are pulled back from the shadows when a federal agent vanishes without a trace.

"In a case you’d never see on TV, their only lead is a disgraced, defrocked priest claiming to have horrific psychic visions of the crime. Forced to confront the ghosts of their past, the partners must navigate a chilling winter landscape and an even darker human monstrosity.

David Duchovny as Fox Mulder in Vrach Frankenshteyn

David Duchovny as Fox Mulder in Vrach Frankenshteyn. Disney+/Hulu

"The truth of these crimes is out there somewhere… and it will take Mulder and Scully to find it. The X-Files: I Want to Believe - Vrach Frankenshteyn reimagines creator and director Chris Carter's original vision in this all-new director's cut."

Alongside Duchovny and Anderson, Mitch Pileggi also features as FBI assistant director Skinner. The film also stars Billy Connolly, Amanda Peet and Xzibit.

The X-Files: I Want to Believe – Vrach Frankenshteyn will be released on Disney+ on 14 August.

Check out more of our Sci-fi coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.

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Authors

Louise GriffinSci-Fi and Fantasy Editor

Louise Griffin is the Sci-Fi & Fantasy Editor for Radio Times, covering everything from Doctor Who, Star Wars and Marvel to House of the Dragon and Good Omens. She previously worked at Metro as a Senior Entertainment Reporter and has a degree in English Literature.

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