'The X-Files' season 11 news: Gillian Anderson confirms it will be her last

"The X-Files" season 11 will premiere in January 2018.Facebook/thexfilesonfox

A few days before "The X-Files" returns to the small screen, lead female protagonist Gillian Anderson confirms the upcoming season 11 will be her last.

In an interview with TV Guide Magazine, the 49-year-old actress said she is hanging up Dana Scully's suits and shoulder pads for good.

This confirms earlier rumors, which began at the New York Comic-Con last October. When asked by reporters whether she was continuing beyond the 11th season, Anderson answered that she believes "this will be it" for her.

Fans could not believe that she could break up the Scully-Fox Mulder (David Duchovny) that easily, which is probably why the actress had to say it one more time.

"I've said from the beginning, this is it for me," she told the TV Guide. "I was a bit surprised by people's [shocked] reaction to my announcement... because my understanding was that this was a single season."

This made fans wonder whether the mystery series, which started way back in 1993, is bidding its farewell along with its female lead.

Creator Chris Carter, however, gives fans a little hope. In a December interview with TV Insider, he shared his future vague plans for the 25-year-old sci-fi series.

"There are a lot more X-Files stories to tell," he said. "Whether we get to tell them is a question mark. The truth is out there."

The latest "X-Files" comes almost two years after the previous season's shocking cliffhanger, which left Mulder near death after a contagious disease threatened humankind. Scully was immune and was able to develop a vaccine. It was, however, not good enough to save his life. Their only hope lies in William, the son they gave up for adoption 14 years ago.

Find out how their fight for survival unfolds as "The X-Files" season 11 premieres on Jan. 3, Wednesday, 8 p.m. EDT, on Fox.