'Nothing is happening on that right now. We looked at some material; we decided at that point that it didn't warrant the reboot,' says NBC Entertainment president Jennifer Salke.
- Aug 22, 2017
AceShowbiz - We've got some bad news for fans of "Xena: Warrior Princess". NBC is reportedly not moving forward with its initially planned reboot of the 1990s series, which was a spin-off to "Hercules: The Legendary Journeys".
"Nothing is happening on that right now. We looked at some material; we decided at that point that it didn't warrant the reboot," NBC Entertainment president Jennifer Salke speaks to The Hollywood Reporter. "I'd never say never on that one because it's such a beloved title, but the current incarnation of it is dead."
However, the network doesn't fully rule out the possibility of bringing back the Lucy Lawless-starring series. "I need someone to come in with a point of view about what they want to do," Salke explains.
The news comes on the heels of the departure of writer Javier Grillo-Marxuach ("Lost") a few months ago over "insurmountable creative differences." Grillo-Marxuach wrote on his Tumblr back in March 2016, "There is no reason to bring back 'Xena' if it is not there for the purpose of fully exploring a relationship that could only be shown subtextually in first-run syndication in the 1990s."
His statement made fans speculate that the focus on a queer relationship between Xena and Gabrielle might have been a factor in the split. However, the writer shut down the rumors, saying, "[It] wasn't about the relationship--and [NBC} studio and network were very supportive of my vision."
The original series ran in syndication from September 4, 1995 to June 18, 2001. Produced by Studios USA and international producers Universal Worldwide Television, the series follows Xena, a mighty Warrior Princess with a dark past, who sets out to redeem herself. Together with a small town bard Gabrielle, they embark on a journey in the ancient world and fight for the greater good against ruthless Warlords and Gods.
