It looks like there may be hope for this project yet. “Lance Henriksen was approached by private investors who wish to make an independent film version of the Carter-produced series…possibly without the involvement of Chris Carter.” The name that “Screen Rant” has suggested as a likely director is “Brett A. Hart.” He previously directed Henriksen in 2007’s Bone Dry. He is a self-confessed “tremendous admirer of the Millennium series. (Hart maintains) it’s time to give the fans what they’ve been patiently waiting to see… More insight into the aberrant world of Frank Black… while further elevating and merging storylines, characterization and visuals… and finally closure for one of the finest series ever created… and as I’ve already publicly stated… my passion and conviction for the series is so deep that I’d direct Millennium – The Movie for free just to see it on the big screen.” The question is whether an independent production is even a possibility “as the rights to the series are owned by 20th Century Fox.”
There is also speculation that Fox may be planning the release of a sequel to Chris Carter’s other big franchise The X-Files , and “it’s possible that Carter won’t be involved (he directed and co-wrote 2008’s I Want To Believe).” I can see the Carter-less Millenium as a more-likely possibility than a Carter-less X-Files, because it does not have the earning potential of an X-Files sequel. Personally, I do not want to see either greenlit without his involvement. Both series are so indelibly interwoven with his creative talents and vision, that I think a film of either without his involvement will suffer. Many will point to the lousy box-office showing of I Want to Believe as justification for his exclusion from future Millenium and X-Files projects. In my opinion, the film was not as bad as many have made it out to be. In fact, repeated viewings have revealed the film to have a special kind of charm. The film was an exploration of the matured relationship of Agents Mulder and Scully, but did not have the action-driven pace that the series and the first film did. This film also dealt with complex issues of morality and religious faith, not topics meant to appeal to a mass audience. To its detriment, it seemed the film was barely given any promotion upon its release. Chris Carter simply did not make a commercially viable film.
I loved Millenium during its short run – it was distinct and downright creepy. Should Fox decide to make the movie themselves, I think Chris Carter should be involved on the production/screenwriting side of things. The director for the bulk of Millenium was Thomas J. Wright, a director with plenty of television direction experience, but no feature film direction. So maybe Fox should give Brett Hart a shot. I think that the real income earned from a Millenium film will be on the DVD/Blu-Ray market, as primarily only fans will remember the show a decade on. Whatever happens, there are exciting possibilities here.
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0942869/
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0115270/fullcredits#cast
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0115270/
http://screenrant.com/millennium-film-niall-29966/