Premiere of "The Lazarus Bowl"
The Lazarus Bowl was a film produced by Wayne Federman in 2000. He made the film based on his experience with Fox Mulder and Dana Scully investigating a religion- related crime in Washington, D.C. with permission from Walter Skinner. Federman hired Garry Shandling and Téa Leoni to portray characters "loosely based" upon Mulder and Scully, respectively. Supposedly, Richard Gere was to play the character based on Skinner.
Plot
The film concerned a character known as the Cigarette Smoking Pontiff, based on Augustine O'Fallon, and his quest to find the Lazarus Bowl, which he would use to raise an army of zombies. Mulder and Scully were attempting to stop his nefarious scheme. The climax of the film took place in a cemetery where the Pontiff's zombies - armed with laser-sighted sniper rifles - had Mulder pinned down while the Pontiff held Scully at gunpoint. Mulder threatened to destroy the Lazarus Bowl and destroy the zombie army, even though he had long sought the ancient relic. The zombies pleaded with Mulder not to destroy the bowl, as they greatly preferred being alive and promised to "dump that ciggy-smoking stooge" and make Mulder "the new king of the dead." Proclaiming that he would "rather serve in heaven than rule in hell," Mulder threw the bowl into the air, allowing Scully to flee the Pontiff while he struggled to catch it.
Mulder and Scully fled the scene, tumbling down a hill into an open casket that snapped shut on top of them. Fumbling in the dark, Mulder struggled to find his flashlight, during which the dialog contained much innuendo. Mulder declared his love for Scully and they began kissing. However, Scully had to stop - for she was actually in love with Assistant Director Skinner.
Reaction
Mulder, Scully and Skinner were invited to the movie's premiere in Los Angeles. After the scene in which the fictionalized Scully declared her love for Skinner, Mulder got up out of his seat and left. Scully followed, although Skinner seemed to enjoy the movie immensely. Mulder pondered what the movie meant, particularly how its oversimplified representations would reflect on the real people involved. Scully was not concerned, convinced that the film would flop. (TXF: "Hollywood A.D.")