Adam Scott & Danielle Deadwyler's New Sci-Fi Thriller "The Saviors" Inspired By "The Twilight Zone" & "X-Files"

The film's writer-director Kevin Hamedani discusses the iconic sci-fi series that influenced his new dark comedy.

Mar. 15, 2026 at 4:36pm

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

Adam Scott and Danielle Deadwyler's upcoming sci-fi thriller film "The Saviors" was inspired by the classic TV series "The Twilight Zone" and "The X-Files", according to the film's writer-director Kevin Hamedani. Both actors have connections to the rebooted versions of these iconic shows - Scott starred in an episode of the "Twilight Zone" reboot, while Deadwyler has been cast in the upcoming "X-Files" reboot. Hamedani, a self-professed fan of these series, discussed how the "magical box question" and themes of "paranoia in a darkly comedic way" from "Twilight Zone" and "X-Files" influenced the premise of "The Saviors", which follows a liberal suburban couple who become suspicious of their Middle Eastern Airbnb guests.

Why it matters

"The Saviors" is part of a growing trend of new sci-fi and thriller projects that draw inspiration from classic TV series like "The Twilight Zone" and "The X-Files". The involvement of high-profile actors like Adam Scott and Danielle Deadwyler, who have direct connections to these iconic franchises, also helps generate anticipation and interest in the film among genre fans.

The details

"The Saviors" has been in development for nearly a decade, with the screenplay by Hamedani and Travis Betz appearing on the 2017 Deadline "Black List" of top unproduced scripts in Hollywood. Despite predating the recent reboots of "Twilight Zone" and "X-Files", Hamedani's script was already influenced by the themes and storytelling styles of those beloved sci-fi series. The film is described as a "dark comedy" that follows a liberal suburban couple who become increasingly paranoid that their Middle Eastern Airbnb guests may be planning a terrorist attack, despite the couple's own progressive values.

  • "The Saviors" debuted at the SXSW Film Festival in March 2026.
  • The screenplay for "The Saviors" was on the Deadline "Black List" in 2017, years before the recent "Twilight Zone" and "X-Files" reboots.

The players

Adam Scott

An actor who starred in an episode of the 2019-2020 reboot of "The Twilight Zone" and is the lead in the hit Apple TV series "Severance", which has become a major sci-fi pop culture phenomenon.

Danielle Deadwyler

An actress who has been cast in a co-lead role in the upcoming reboot of "The X-Files" from producer Ryan Coogler.

Kevin Hamedani

The writer and director of "The Saviors", who is a self-professed fan of "The Twilight Zone", "The X-Files", and the work of Steven Spielberg, all of which influenced the film's themes and storytelling approach.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“I am a huge Twilight Zone fan. That's stuff deep in my brain. I'm also a big X-Files fan and a Spielberg fan. So that sort of what's in the box, the magical box question is something I always try to infuse in a good story. And it just seemed to fit in this theme that we were trying to play by having a big mystery feed the audience down this road of paranoia in a darkly comedic way.”

— Kevin Hamedani, Writer and Director of "The Saviors" (ScreenRant)

What’s next

The Saviors is set to have its wide theatrical release on March 13, 2026 following its SXSW debut.

The takeaway

The Saviors taps into the enduring popularity and cultural influence of classic sci-fi TV franchises like The Twilight Zone and The X-Files, blending their signature elements of mystery, paranoia, and dark humor into a new original story that aims to captivate genre fans.