‘The X-Files’ Season 11 Trailer: Mulder, Scully Search For Their Son William

Fox dropped the official trailer for Season 11 of “The X-Files” during the show’s panel at New York Comic Con (NYCC) on Sunday. And as a lot of fans expected, the two-minute promo confirms that the new season will center largely on Mulder and Scully’s long lost son William.

“You have to find him and you have to stop him before he releases hell on Earth,” Scully (Gillian Anderson), who is seemingly referring to William, whispers to Mulder (David Duchovny) from her hospital bed.

“I have to find our son!” she insists.

William’s role in the new season was foreshadowed at the end of Season 10, where his name was mentioned as a possible savior for his dying father in the finale’s final moments.

During the NYCC panel, series creator Chris Carter confirmed William’s pivotal role in Season 11. “We explore that father-son-mother relationship, and you’ll see more of William than you’ve seen in a long time,” Carter said (via TVLine).

Pileggi, who is reprising his role as Walter Skinner, added: “I think [the William storyline] is… brilliant. I think it’s done really well, and you guys are going to be very, very happy with it.”

Elsewhere in the trailer, Skinner is seen in a rare meeting with the Cigarette Smoking Man (William B. Davis). “I’m here to open you a deal,” the Cigarette Smoking Man tells the assistant director of the FBI. “Civilization is in its final stages. I’m asking you to betray the whole human race.”

Although the trailer doesn’t reveal whether Skinner agrees with the Cigarette Smoking Man’s deal, Mulder and Scully directly tell Skinner in the video that they no longer trust him.

“We need your help … even if we don’t trust you,” Scully tells Skinner, who’s also seen in a fight with Mulder at some point in the trailer.

The new dynamic between Skinner and partners Mulder and Scully was first teased by Carter in an interview with Entertainment Weekly last month. “Familiar alliances are rattled,” said Carter after revealing that fans will see a new angle on Mulder and Scully’s long-suffering boss, Skinner.

In fact, it was revealed during the NYCC panel that an episode in the new season will explore Skinner’s backstory. “He did a great job with it,” Pileggi said of Gabe Rotter, who wrote the Skinner-centric episode. “I’m very happy [about it]. You’re all going to be finding out more about Wally.”

Also seen in the trailer are new character Erika Price (Barbara Hershey); returning cast member Karin Konoval in her new mystery role; Jeremy Schuetze as young Cigarette Smoking Man; and Lone Gunmen member Richard Langly (Dean Haglund), who died in Season 9, but re-appeared in Season 10 in a drug-fueled dream sequence.

“The X-Files” Season 11 will premiere midseason on Fox. Watch the trailer below: