Could The X-Files happen without Gillian Anderson? It’s obviously not something that anyone wants to consider. Yet, it’s something that we all may have to think about given Anderson’s comments that she is leaving at the end of the season. We don’t see her comments as any sort of ill will towards the series; it feels more like she’s done so much of this show, in between the series and the movies, and maybe just wants a different adventure that doesn’t involve playing Agent Scully. There’s a certain degree of sadness there for fans who love her as the character, but there are so many different challenges and things to explore as an actor. It makes sense that she would want to dive into some of those.
As for whether or not creator Chris Carter would consider doing the show without Anderson, that’s not something he seems to be willing to tip his cap on. It’s easy to read his response to a question in a recent Reddit AMA a couple of different ways:
