(Image Source: 20th Century Studios)
Three months ago, Disney announced that the 2008 "The X-Files" sequel, "The X-Files: I Want to Believe," would debut its director's cut on Disney+ and Hulu on June 11. However, the studio today confirmed a new release date of August 14, simultaneously dropping a trailer and revealing a new title: "The X-Files: I Want to Believe - Vrach Frankenshteyn" (Frankenstein Cut).
※ Watch the debut trailer below ▼
Chris Carter, director of "I Want to Believe" and creator of "The X-Files" series, explained the new title's origin in a recent "Entertainment Weekly" (EW) interview. He revealed that they had initially aimed to make a realistic Frankenstein film, but for various reasons, their "Frankenstein" never fully emerged from the operating room. Carter expressed particular excitement at the chance to reawaken the monster through electrodes.
"I Want to Believe" initially saw an extended cut included with its DVD release, but that version only added about three minutes of footage and had little impact on the film as a whole. The director's cut now set for release, however, is Carter's true original vision. Upon its initial theatrical release, "I Want to Believe" received poor critical reception and performed dismally at the box office, plummeting to just $68 million compared to "The X-Files: Fight the Future"'s nearly $190 million success. Now, Carter is determined to give the film a "rebirth," akin to Spider-Man's journey of re-evaluation and renewed success.
(Image Source: 20th Century Studios)
Last year, Carter also shed light on why "I Want to Believe" failed to resonate with fans during an interview on the podcast "Fail Better with David Duchovny," hosted by lead actor David Duchovny. He recounted that he had essentially made the film too frightening, a sentiment echoed by 20th Century Fox executives who desired a PG-13 rating. Carter explained that they made cuts to align with the PG-13 guidelines, believing they had met the studio's demands. However, he noted that critics and film rating officials then insisted it still wasn't PG-13 and required further reductions.
Carter elaborated, stating that television offers more creative freedom because its censors and rating personnel are generally more lenient than those in film. He expressed that he now has the opportunity to revisit and craft the horror film he originally envisioned. He emphasized that this isn't merely about releasing a director's cut, but truly bringing to life elements from his mind that never made it to the big screen.
via： Entertainment Weekly