Can the 'X-Files' win again?

STRONG BOX-OFFICE sales proved "Sex and the City" still meant something to millions of fans of the television series. Twentieth Century Fox is hoping the same is true for the fanatical followers of "The X-Files."

The popular TV series, which starred Gillian Anderson and David Duchovny as FBI agents Dana Scully and Fox Mulder, who investigated paranormal activities, ended in 2002. After it went off the air, creator Chris Carter climbed mountains, learned to fly airplanes and even sued show distributor Fox over profit from the show.

The lawsuit was later settled, and Carter signed on to co-write and direct a new film version. The key question is now: Has “The X-Files” been away so long that it's starting to be forgotten, or has the gap created so much pent-up demand that the movie could emerge as a late-summer sleeper?

May's "Sex and the City" movie arrived four years after the series went off cable television's HBO. Even though the film's core audience was narrowly limited to women in their 30s and 40s, so many of them wanted to see the latest shopping and romantic exploits of "Sex and the City's" four female leads that the film opened to a strong $56.8 million and eventually grossed nearly $150 million total in domestic theaters.

Fox isn't assuming that "The X-Files: I Want to Believe," as the new movie is known, will do comparable business, and has had to temper its expectations for the film because of the remarkable and sustained performance of " The Dark Knight."

The Batman sequel not only set box-office records when it opened last weekend but also has sold boatloads of tickets on weeknights, setting a nonholiday record on Monday (with $24.5 million) and a Tuesday mark as well (with sales of $20.9 million). "The Dark Knight" passed the $200-million mark Tuesday, its fifth day of release, the fastest film ever to eclipse that milestone. (The previous record-holder, 2006's "Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest," crossed $200 million in its eighth day in theaters.)

"The X-Files" also must fend off "Mamma Mia!," which opened above expectations a week ago and is drawing a steady stream of older women, part of "The X-Files' " central audience. " Step Brothers," a new R-rated comedy starring Will Ferrell and John C. Reilly, is likely to attract older teen and young adult males.