3. Independence Day (1996)
Both Independence Day and The X-Files share common ground in terms of an impending alien invasion. Both also appear as small references in each other’s films, with The X-Files: Fight the Future taking a more negative spin on its minor cameo.
In Fight the Future, a poster for the 1996 flick can be seen in the alley behind the bar Mulder gets drunk at. As the bathroom is out of order, Mulder decides to relive himself in the alley, right underneath the Independence Day poster. Take with that what you will, but it seems obvious that there’s a slight distaste for the film there.
Whereas in Independence Day, The X-Files is briefly mentioned toward the beginning of the film through a man in a satellite call center talking on the phone saying, “Yes, ma’am, I love The X-Files. I hope you get to see it”.
Independence Day was directed by Roland Emmerich and tells the tale of an alien invasion on Earth and features government conspiracies around the famous sites of Roswell and Area 51. Much like the mythology arc of The X-Files does.