It’s official! After months of speculation, THE X-FILES will return to FOX in the form of a six-episode event series. Thirteen years after the original series wrapped (plus two films released theatrically), THE X-FILES creator/executive producer Chris Carter will helm the new series alongside returning stars, David Duchovny (Fox Mulder) and Gillian Anderson (Dana Scully).

Fox Television Group Chairmen and CEOs Dana Walden and Gary Newman as well as Carter made the announcement earlier today, stating that the new series will begin production this summer. No further details were discussed, but with the production start-date so close, expect additional news to come to light rather soon.

Said Newman and Walden of returning to the world of Mulder and Scully:

We had the privilege of working with Chris on all nine seasons of THE X-FILES — one of the most rewarding creative experiences of our careers — and we couldn’t be more excited to explore that incredible world with him again. THE X-FILES was not only a seminal show for both the studio and the network, it was a worldwide phenomenon that shaped pop culture – yet remained a true gem for the legions of fans who embraced it from the beginning. Few shows on television have drawn such dedicated fans as THE X-FILES and we’re ecstatic to give them the next thrilling chapter of Mulder and Scully they’ve been waiting for.

THE X-FILES originally aired in September 1993 and continued on for nine years, winning numerous awards including Emmys, Golden Globes and a Peabody. A certified sci-fi phenomenon, the show followed the unexplained cases of FBI Agents Mulder and Scully as they solved mysteries and crimes related to the paranormal and unknown.