'X-Files' fans still in the dark

Carter keeps quiet on film at Paley event

Other than seeing the trailer (twice), fans of "The X-Files" didn't learn much about the upcoming movie from Chris Carter at Wednesday's Paley Center event, except perhaps that the timing was dictated by 20th Century Fox saying, as the series creator put it, "Now or never."

As moderator, Variety's Cynthia Littleton was the only woman on stage along with a dozen men ("We did hire women on this show," Carter noted at the outset) that included producers, directors and series cast members Mitch Pileggi, Nic Lea and Dean Hagland.

Addressing his absence since the series ended, Carter said he "needed a break from the whole experience, which was all-consuming." He also offered some insight into the whole "Trust No One" mindset embodied by the show, saying that the writers made up the mythology as they went along and that he didn't believe in elaborate story "bibles" for series. "If you have a bible, they can give it to somebody else and fire you," he said.

Regarding the movie, which will be released in July, Carter wouldn't divulge the title (he's apparently still wrestling with Fox about that) but did say that the plot would mark the six-year span since the series ended and offer some insight into that strange baby that Scully (Gillian Anderson) birthed during the show's run.

Among the night's playful jockeying among the participants Haglund, one of "The Lone Gunmen" on the show, purposely screwed up a reference to Lea's current ABC Family series "Kyle XY," calling it "Kyle KY." Pileggi, who played FBI Asst. Director Skinner, also expressed chagrin that he wasn't included in the next chapter of "X-Files" lore. "You guys did another movie?" he asked.

Notably, the enthusiastic crowd -- which whooped and hollered at the trailer -- applauded for only one other series in the montage for this year's Paley event: "Buffy the Vampire Slayer."