David Duchovny, Gillian Anderson

Actors David Duchovny, left, and Gillian Anderson participate in "The X Files" panel at the Fox Winter TCA on Jan. 15, 2016, Pasadena, Calif.

(Richard Shotwell, Associated Press)

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Fans of seminal sci-fi horror series "The X-Files" can look forward to a new season, Fox executives told reporters Wednesday, according to Entertainment Weekly and Variety.

Network executives David Madden and Gary Newman said at the TV critics' press tour Wednesday in California that the broadcaster is in talks to air more episodes.

"There are a lot of conversations going on," Madden said in response to a question about the series' future. "Those conversations are complex, but we hope to be able to announce something very shortly."

Following a question and answer session, the executive told Entertainment Weekly the series will most likely return in 2018.

The show's nine-season run ended in 2002, but Fox aired a six-episode revival in January and February 2016.

While critics weren't kind to the revival, it was a ratings success. The first of the six episodes drew more than 16 million viewers, although viewership gradually declined as the episodes wore on. Only around 7.6 million people watched the revival's final broadcast.

In its heyday, new episodes of "The X-Files" regularly drew more than 10 million viewers.

Madden told Entertainment Weekly that fans can expect more than six episodes in 2018, but not the traditional 22-episode season.