Chris Carter used to be a big moneymaker for 20th Century Fox, with The X-Files and its movie and his other series, Millennium. But now all those franchises are finished, so what does Fox plan to do with Carter? Throw him under the bus, of course.

Well, it depends on your perspective, I guess, what exactly they're doing. Screen Rant is reporting on plans for an independent production company to make a Millennium movie, with the participation of star Lance Henriksen but not Carter. Screen Rant is speculating that Fox might not produce the film but will distribute it, letting them get around using Carter but using the rights to the franchise that they own. And there's even a director potentially lined up: Brett A. Hart, who is actually saying he'll make the thing for free.

Of course Hart, smartly, is playing dumb on the whole thing-- either that or he really doesn't know anything. Here's what he told Screen Rant:

“As a tremendous admirer of “The Millennium Series” I’m of course very intrigued by the recent rumors that there may indeed be a full length feature on the horizon. If any one can get “Millennium” made its Lance and it’s been a long time coming. 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. Let’s hope as the title sequence suggest “The Time is near”… 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.”

It seems likely that if the movie happens, it'll be on a pretty small scale, and a whole lot cheaper than those not-so-profitable X-Files movies. But Millennium fans will probably just be happy, like Hart, to see the movie happen at all.