David Duchovny reveals why 'The Craft: Legacy' pulled him back to movie acting (exclusive)

Watch: David Duchovny on how The Craft: Legacy got him acting again

David Duchovny hasn’t appeared in a movie for four years, but witchy horror reboot The Craft: Legacy inspired him to get back in front of the camera.

Duchovny took a break from acting several years ago after finishing the rebooted run of The X-Files, with his last movie credit way back in 2013 with drama Louder than Words.

Read more: Greatest episodes of The X-Files

The 60-year-old star said the clever work of writer-director Zoe Lister-Jones on The Craft: Legacy convinced him to take on another big screen part.

“I just thought it was a really smart script,” Duchovny told Yahoo Movies UK.

He added: “I thought it was doing stuff that was multi-level. It was functioning as a scary movie and also as an allegory.

“It was a social commentary like something like Get Out, something that Blumhouse is very good at doing.

“I thought I wanted to be a part of that. I thought I would like to play in that area.”

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Duchovny plays self-help writer and speaker Adam, who has started a relationship with Michelle Monaghan’s Helen and moved her into his house.

Helen’s daughter Lily — played by Cailee Spaeny — bonds with three fellow students at her new school, becoming the fourth member of their coven of witches.

The movie is a reboot of the 1996 horror The Craft, which became a cult hit thanks to its impish portrayal of 1990s teen culture.

The new cast includes Lovie Simone, Zoey Luna and Gideon Adlon as members of the witch coven alongside Spaeny.

Read more: Cailee Spaeny reveals supernatural experience on Craft set

Critics have been split on the movie, with many praising its diversity and approach to modern issues while others called it less exciting and edgy than its predecessor.

The Craft: Legacy is available only in cinemas now.

Watch: Trailer for The Craft: Legacy