In the latest in “Hollywood is running out of original ideas” news, NBC has finally confirmed that a reboot of the cult syndicated series, Xena: Warrior Princess is officially in the works. The network has hired producer-writer Javier Grillo-Marxuach, who has worked on the Syfy network series Helix, NBC’s Medium and ABC’s hit series Lost.
In the wake of the return of such 90s classics as The X-Files and the upcoming (and eagerly anticipated…by me, at least) Twin Peaks sequel series on Showtime, revisiting this cult classic, which ran from 1995 through 2001, seems like a gimme. But, despite the fact that the new show is being developed by original co-creator Rob Tapert (a/k/a Lucy’s real-life hubby), along with Sam Raimi, who served as executive producer on the show (and may be better known as the director of the Evil Dead and first 3 Spiderman films), the original Xena, Lucy Lawless, has been missing from recent casting conversations.
I know, it’s not like the actress hasn’t been working or anything…she’s currently working with Sam Raimi on the Starz series Ash vs. Evil Dead. And, although it’s gone, but not forgotten, Lucy won the heart of Ron (freakin’) Swanson on Parks and Recreation (RIP). But, really, who could replace her? According to the Hollywood Reporter, this reboot will feature a “smart and sophisticated” heroine mixing Lucy’s charisma with Katniss from the Hunger Games‘ smarts and battle skills.
Lucy has made it clear that she would be happy to see Xena return to the screen. Back in July, when rumors of her character’s return to the small screen began to surface, she tweeted, “news of a #Xena reboot is just a rumor. I’d love it to happen one day but it’s still in the wishful thinking stage.”
And, at a recent Comic-Con, she expressed that she’d be up to play Xena again in a television movie. “I’ve been pitching that, actually. The fans really do want that, and I’ve met some people who’ve crowdfunded some things, and I’m just like, ‘Why don’t we just do that?’” On her “official” website, Lucy posted this message back in September: “My darling friends, how can 20 years have passed since Ren and I met on the set of Xena: Warrior Princess? We worked hard, had a lot of fun and were part of something which seems to have meant a great deal to so many of you. How did we get so lucky? The show was one of the most formative times of our lives and we thank you for keeping us on the air for six glorious years. I don’t know what the future brings, but I believe Xena and Gabrielle will surely rise again because the world still needs ’em and the fans are calling them into being.”
Full disclosure: I’m from the Wonder Woman/Bionic Woman generation, and I love to see strong women on the screen. Someone help me out here. Gillian Anderson, who is 47, is reprising her role as Scully in the return of The X-Files. Lucy Lawless, also 47, doesn’t seem to be in the running to reprise the iconic role she created. What gives, Hollywood? Who could ever fill her gladiator sandals?
Lucy Lawless is shown on 10-28-15 (blonde hair) and on 7-9-15. Credit: WENN.com Stills from Xena are credit: Getty Images
I adored Xena and still love the show. I really cannot imagine anyone else as Xena, or Gabrielle for that matter. But whatever they do, they had better include Joxer the Mighty.
Joxer the Mighty LOVED him.
Do you remember Joxer’s song??
“He’s Joxer the Mighty, he’s very tidy, he’s man’s trust and every woman’s fantasy……” Lol. I loved that song!
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I loved Xena! Nice to see a woman kicking butt who is muscular And toned, instead of just thin. She looked the part
My Hollywood fit body idol is Jessica Biel, maybe she could give it a shot? I don’t think I’ve seen a single show or movie she’s been in so I don’t know if she’s got the charisma/acting chops, but based on physique alone I could see it!
I could be down with Jessica Biel playing the part except she’s only about 5’7 and Lawless is 5’10. They might look for an actress with more height. But Jessica has the body and the look. To some she’s not the best actress, but it’s not that serious.
I was a huge fan of Xena. I used to watch Hercules with Kevin Sorbo and Xena religiously. I also loved when they crossed over to each other’s series. I can’t believe Sorbo is 57.
Yes! I think biel has a great body
AYEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!! That’s all I need to hear! Plus Xena IS Lucy Lawless! Too many exclamation points before my morning tea!!
Ehhh, bummer. “Aries. I should have known.”
I was the biggest Xena fan – we used to have Xena brunches as it was shown on Sunday afternoon and everyone would come over and drink mimosas and eat food and cheer on Xena – and Gabrielle (the sidekick, fighting with her little stick) and even Joxer (the “mighty”). I still have the action figures! I think I even have Callista!
But without Lucy Lawless, I’m personally not really interested in a “reboot.”
I’d rather dust off my old skool DVDs instead. If they want a true “reboot” they should have the real Xena training a younger warrior princess or something. Perhaps Gabi’s baby. That would be a good plotline! Listen up, Raimis!
I love your idea!
Right there with you – loved the show (it was the first real ‘grown up’ show I was allowed… well. I got a job at in my early teens where I cleaned a beauty parlor on my own on Sundays and they had a tv. I scrubbed mirrors and tanning beds to battle cries – wasn’t allowed to watch any tv at home without my dad in the room and he wasn’t home often. So sneaking Xena and Hercules was my first exposure to pop culture of any kind. Didn’t see a movie beyond G until a few months before I moved out on my own!) and it weirdly but profoundly made a lot of a bad time in my life so much better. For one thing, being 6’2 and busty at 12 in a family where almost everyone else are delicate little southern bells who would faint at the idea of climbing a tree… and here was a grown woman kicking ass and looking hot doing it? Amazingly helpful. It became my safety shield in addition to it being seriously silly and amusingly wonderful mental popcorn. When my natural urge was to slouch and hide, I’d pull on my Xena and let the act carry me through. Honestly, still do it. Most folks view me as a cross between everyone’s big sister and a slightly cranky but protective Valkyrie on her day off. Only my husband knows how much is an act – but it saved me in a really bad place and helped me get OUT of that place too. I was so excited to hear it might come back around… but without Lucy and Renee? I don’t think I could bear to watch it. So I’ll pull out my DVD’s (no dust on mine, they still often end up in the ‘just let me vedge for a few until I can handle the world again’ safety watching!), put the soundtracks on a bit heavier rotation and maybe even reread some of the GOOD fanfiction out there and hope they don’t destroy a beloved show.
(And so it’s said – Melissa Good, who writes as Merwolf, google it, trust me – does some AMAZING fanfiction. Before the scoffs, she is so good, and captured the characters so well, the producers tracked her down, sent her to New Zealand, and had her write several episodes. It’s not the cringe-inducing stuff most folks think when they hear fanfic. Xena and Gab DO end up a couple, so skip if that makes you cringe, but really. If I can’t have the ‘real’ Xena back, Merwolf’s online books pick up the story and not only keep it alive, develop it all beautifully. And if you read all THAT novel above, should you ever make it to northern Ohio, I owe any and all who want to collect a free viewing of any episode on a big screen tv with some local mead that will knock your bangs back!)
But Xena died and Gabrielle threw her staff away to use more non violent methods… Technically. In my mind only seasons 1-4 are canon.
“Who could ever fill her gladiator sandals?” I want to say No One. Lucy Lawless was Xena, just like Diana Rigg was Emma Peel. I hope it’s not the disaster the Thurman/Fiennes Avengers movie was, but at least I have my Xena dvds to turn to if it is.
I think some characters find the perfect actor to play them, dooming reboots. I think this has always been a problem with superman. I think this will also be the case with zena.
Wow Lucy Lawless looks amazing. Her resting facial expression (not exactly “bitchface”…more “kick yo’ ass face”) is everything. Love her.
Well to be fair, Scully is an FBI agent and Xena is a warrior. One of those careers has more longevity than the other.
I love Lawless as Xena, but the show had truly laughable action sequences that no one would put on TV today. If they bring it back, whoever plays Xena will have to kick some ass. Lawless looked bad ass as Xena, but she didn’t really have to do anything bad ass.
This. Hence why superheroes (and warriors) are always played by young actors.
Yeah, but the thing is, Xena is much more than the fight scenes. Fight scenes were not the essenece of the show at all. It was friendship and sacrificeand the road to redemption and the incredible portrayla of Lucy Lawless that made this show so amazing. I don’t agree that a 47 year old Lucy could not pull it off. Besides, stunt doubles are there for a reason.
I loved loved loved Xena… I don’t know if now in hollywood’s sea of skinny women we can find a suitable replacement, but it cant be some young skinny darling. I’m curious to see which actresses they throw in the mix for this “possible” reboot.
I don’t think it’s a bad idea to reboot a show that depicts such a strong independent woman, maybe our kids need it today.
You know what? I bet Jessica Biel could do it. That is, if she’s kept up her muscle tone!
I actually do agree!!!! Yes, I think that could work!!! She has the muscle and the facial features.
Yes! She should look strong, like an Amazon. If Lucy Lawless husband is helming this thing then I predict she’ll make an appearance. The only problem is didn’t she die in the series finale? Gabrielle tried to bring her back but she said she had to stay gone in order for the souls of all those she killed to stay at rest. Also, Renee O’Conner would have to make an appearance as well for me to watch a reboot.
I remember an interview Lucy gave after Xena was killed and not resurrected in which she said it was a good thing Xena had been killed off because that meant no reboots or repeats or slow death of the show.
I think Buffy suffered from a slow death. She should have stayed dead after season 5 when she sacrificed herself for Dawn.
It’s Hollywood, they always find a way to bring them back from the dead. Lawless had to know that killing off her character doesn’t stop them from bringing her back. That’s why it’s called a reboot, they start the series over.
V4Real: I know that, but Xena ended at a time when it seemed like the end of an era, where those sword and sandals action series (Hercules, Xena) were not in vogue anymore, so her comment seemed like a final thing.
Also at the time, I knew that her husband was a producer on the series so it felt like she was parroting his views.
I’m sad that this series is being rebooted. Lightening doesn’t always strike twice in the same place.
No one can replace her! They need to let her star in it and be done with it.
I so admired Lucy and her husband with the Spartacus “pre-quel” they developed that allowed the actor who played the original Spartacus to maintain his health insurance during his cancer treatments. Goodness knows, if this is wrong allow me to keep my delusion! She was great in that, and I concur with her being in Xena 2.0-I think the training angle mentioned above is great.
I loved that in the 90s thin-off of actresses which even Buffy joined, Xena remained amazonian and looked like she could comfortably go head to head with Kevin Sabo (sp?)’s Hercules.
Agreed.
Re: Buffy season 5. I’d agree with you if not for the glory that is Once More With Feeling. It’s my all time favourite episode of any show I’ve ever watched.
This really makes me sad, Xena will always and only be Lucy Lawless. Not gonna watch a reboot if she’s not in it.
they need to keep her in it, imo. just because a woman isn’t 17 doesn’t mean she can’t be strong. and with technology these days, they can help her appear even stronger than she already is. I think it’s a crime that women over a certain age aren’t considered good enough for roles. she’s what made that show, and they should honor that. hollywood sucks.
I just couldn’t agree more with you. It’s all abou ageism and sexism and it makes me so angry that they feel like the audience would not be interested in her reprising her role, while all the signs on earth and in the sky and the comments here for that matter point to the contrary.
Xena is my spirit animal. Always and forever. I’m conflicted about a xena that is not lucy lawless. She helped me during my formative years and i wouldn’t be the strong woman i am today without her influence. I guess that it’s good that a whole new generation will get to experience xena. Although my daughter will grow up on the original for sure.
She IS Xena! It has to be Lucy or I won’t be watching