Reboots and remakes are all the rage nowadays, and some networks have been very successful in bringing old series back for another go on the small screen. One reboot that has been in the works for years now is Xena: Warrior Princess, which was set to return to television on NBC. Unfortunately for any who were looking forward to a new take on the Warrior Princess, the reboot is no longer happening at NBC in the foreseeable future.
Here's what happened. The reboot was in the works thanks to the efforts of Lost alum Javier Grillo-Marxuach, who was on board as writer and producer. THR reports that Grillo-Marxuach left the project back in April due to creative differences. He didn't specify what the differences were that led to his departure, but he had previously been vocal about his desire to explore a romance between Xena and Gabrielle in the reboot. It was a matter of highlighting a love story that couldn't be explicitly developed back in the 90s.
Whatever the reason, NBC Entertainment president Jennifer Salke has confirmed that nothing is happening on the Xena reboot front at this point. She was careful not to rule out the possibility of someday returning to a new version of Xena: Warrior Princess, but nothing is currently in development. At this point, it seems to be a matter of recruiting somebody with the kind of vision that will fit with what NBC wants out of a reboot.
Hopefully a reboot does someday happen. As much as Lucy Lawless and Renee O'Connor are iconic to the roles of Xena and Gabrielle, it would have been interesting to see a new pair of actresses tackle new interpretations of the characters. A new show could play with character relationships in new ways and undoubtedly give an update on the effects of the original 90s series. Given how recent superhero and action shows have revolutionized what kind of fight sequences can happen on the small screen, we probably would have gotten some pretty epic stunts as well. After all, Xena is a warrior princess.
The original series won a passionate fanbase that is loyal to this day. It ran for six seasons in syndication, from September 1995 to June 2001. There were highs and lows in the series, and episodes tackled everything from murders to musical numbers. The show that started off as a spinoff of Hercules took on a life of its own. We can only cross our fingers that NBC decides to give Xena: Warrior Princess another try.
If you're in the mood for a watch (or re-watch) of Xena, you can check out the full series (as well as a ton of other shows) streaming on Hulu. Our breakdown of upcoming reboots and revivals can give you a look at the other series that may be coming back for another go on the small screen, and our fall TV premiere schedule can direct you to what will definitely be on the airwaves in the not-too-distant future.
