Xena: Warrior Princess Comeback?

[Silver Surfer]

Actress Lucy Lawless has stated that Xena: Warrior Princess could see a revival.

Lawless took to the Twitterverse to say that a comeback for the series is possible.

Reboot with a new lead or Xena brought back from Samurai afterlife?

 

[Tanin]

Without Kevin Tod Smith I'm just not interested.

 

[Primal Slayer]

I wouldn't be opposed to a new series if done right. I think it would be perfect for Starz and to have the Spartacus team work on it.

 

[Drz]

I'd be more interested in a Blu-ray collection of the original, but the Milf stories of Xena, oh that fandom!

 

[haephestus]

I'd be happy with anything to do with Xena: Warrior Princess, whether it's a mini-series, direct to DVD movie, a big screen movie, a Blu-Ray widescreen release of the six seasons, an animated series, a decent comic book series or even just some appropriately geeky merchandise like t-shirts, action figures, statues, Minimates or POP figures.

If it's some kind of live action production, I'd prefer them to use Lucy Lawless and Renee O'Connor in their original roles. They both still look great and they've previously expressed cautious interest in reviving their roles. Of course, they could do a "Star Trek" and use the original actors to reboot the series with new, younger leads. Alternate realities, time travelling and other science fiction tropes have all been part of Xena: Warrior Princess.

A combination of the best elements from "Sins of the Past", "The Greater Good" and "Callisto" would make for a pretty awesome reboot movie. They could even include Callisto since she previously attempted to time travel to save her family from dying as a direct result of (warlord) Xena's army. That event could instead launch a rebooted universe where Xena attacks Potideia, but Gabrielle convinces Xena to fight for the greater good and to defeat her own army.

 

[Specter313]

I wouldn't be opposed to a new series if done right. I think it would be perfect for Starz and to have the Spartacus team work on it.

That's funny you say that, since the production company behind the original Xena and Herc and all those shows also did Spartacus.

 

[childeroland]

Without Kevin Tod Smith I'm just not interested.

If Robert Tapert still has some measure of control over the show, I doubt that will happen, given the way Smith ripped into Xena (and Lawless) in the past.

 

[haephestus]

I think there has been some confusion between Kevin Sorbo (aka Hercules) and Kevin Smith (aka Ares: God of War).

The former has made a number of inappropriate and disparaging statements about Lucy Lawless and Xena: Warrior Princess in the past. The latter unfortunately passed away as the result of an accident while shooting a movie in China.

 

[Specter313]

If Robert Tapert still has some measure of control over the show, I doubt that will happen, given the way Smith ripped into Xena (and Lawless) in the past.

You do know Kevin Smith is dead, right?

 

[childeroland]

Yeah, never mind. My bad.

 

[FLICK]

What did Kevin Sorbo say? He should thank Tapert and that whole crew. No one would know who he is if it weren't for them.

 

[Nemi]

Kevin Sorbo is not one to hold a grudge. Still, he admits he’s a little bitter about the fact that he has received not one single work call from executive producer Sam Raimi since the end of their very successful TV series collaboration Hercules. Especially since right around the end of Xena: Princess Warrior, the companion series also produced by Raimi, star Lucy Lawless was given a small part in Spider-Man. “I think Lucy got a small part in it because she’s married to Sam Raimi’s partner, Rob Tapert,” Sorbo tells FilmStew. “She started having an affair with him down in New Zealand. She left her husband and he left his wife of 15 years. So that’s how that whole thing got together.”

“I busted my ash on Hercules and during Season Five, I almost died doing it,” he continues. “I had an aneurism that exploded in my body that almost killed me. I think I’m a good enough actor that he can put me in a secondary part in one of his feature films. It would be nice if he did that.”

Things like that, mainly he just sounds like someone blaming everyone else for the fact that he isn't getting more work.
​

 

[haephestus]

^^^^

The odd thing is that despite the fact that Kevin Sorbo has spread malicious and untrue rumours like the "affair" nonsense above, both Sam Raimi and Rob Tapert have tried to work with him every now and again. Rob Tapert even approached him about a role in "The Legend of the Seeker", but Kevin Sorbo refused to "audtion" for the role as he expected that he should simply be handed it on a silver platter.

And given that Kevin Sorbo used his own influence to ensure that his wife re-appeared in Hercules (and subsequently appeared in a few of his later movies), it's odd that he makes all these wild accusations about Lucy Lawless using her purportedly "lesbian" (according to Kevin Sorbo) feminine wiles to steal all the best writers, directors and production crew members from Hercules for her own show.

Here's a good summary of Kevin Sorbo's nonsense:

http://xenaonline.blogspot.com.au/2007/02/kevin-sorbo-has-issues.html

 

[Silvermoth]

Oh god yes more xena please?

Maybe they'll make a xena video game? Then they can keep Lucy Lawless!

 

[Primal Slayer]

I will agree with KS that they shouldve had more crossovers. Esp with a big event like twilight of the gods, shouldve been a 2hr movie crossing over between the two.

 

[Tanin]

Things like that, mainly he just sounds like someone blaming everyone else for the fact that he isn't getting more work.
​

Maybe he should find his own jobs... like most actors do.

 

[Nemi]

The last time I heard an actor say he was too good for an audition was on Friends.....

 

[haephestus]

Esp with a big event like twilight of the gods, shouldve been a 2hr movie crossing over between the two.

There was a cross-over episode during the Twilight of the Gods arc. God Fearing Child in season 5 featured Kevin Sorbo as Hercules and was very much a "Hercules" episode from the writing to the villains.

I wasn't a fan of the cross-over episodes. Xena: Warrior Princess has it's own unique style and tone which didn't "match" with Hercules: The Legendary Journeys. The few cross-over episodes were either "Hercules In Name Only" (e.g. Prometheus and God Fearing Child) or were darker than usual for Hercules (e.g. Surprise and Armageddon Now).

 

[kvz5]

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/xena-warrior-princess-reboot-nbc-809355

'Xena: Warrior Princess' Reboot in the Works at NBC (Exclusive)

wenty years after it first premiered as a Hercules spinoff, Xena: Warrior Princess could be returning to television.

Sources tell The Hollywood Reporter that NBC and NBC Universal International are prepping a reboot of the beloved Lucy Lawless action-adventure drama. The drama is in the extremely early development stages and a search for a writer is currently underway. Original executive producers Rob Tapert and Sam Raimi are also involved in the project, which is considered as a "modern reboot." It's unclear what, if any, role original star Lawless would have, though sources tell THR that insiders would like the original star to have both a role on screen and behind the scenes. The drama is eyed for 2016. It's too early to know if Xena 2.0 would be a limited 13-episode run similar to Fox's revived 24 or a more standard full-season order. Insiders say the hope is for the new Xena to be an ongoing (read renewable) series.

Sources say the new Xena would have to have the charisma and charm of Lawless and the smarts of The Hunger Games' Katniss as producers are said to be looking for a sophisticated and smart superhero for a new generation.

The original series was produced by Studios USA and international producers Universal Worldwide Television and was distributed by Universal Television. Xena ran in syndication for six seasons from September 1995-June 2001 and originally started as a spinoff from Hercules after producers realized how popular the Xena (Lawless) character was and opted to launch a new series built around the Amazon warrior on a quest for redemption and her trusted companion Gabrielle (Renee O'Connor).

Xena was created by John Schulian and Tapert — Lawless' husband — and produced by Tapert, Sam Raimi and actor Bruce Campbell's Renaissance Pictures, Studios USA and Universal Television, the latter of whom distributed the series in more than 108 countries around the globe. The drama was a cult favorite and ratings hit, ranking in the top five syndicated programs during each of its six seasons.

An extension of the Xena franchise comes as Lawless recently signed on to co-star in Starz's Evil Dead sequel Ash vs. Evil Dead, reuniting her with Xena — and Spartacus — alums Raimi and Tapert.

For her part, Lawless recently told HitFix at Comic-Con — where she was supporting Ash — that "they've got to bring [Xena] back."

"I've been pitching that show … because … there's a swell of interest still," she said. "I'm always being peppered with questions [about] when the Xena movie is coming. Guys, I'm pitching my ash off to make it happen, whether it's with me or not. I think it'd be funny to have a reboot like Ash vs. Evil Dead — like middle-aged Xena in a muumuu with a bad attitude and a smoking habit. … Bring [actor] Ted Raimi [who played Joxer] in … [and maybe] Bruce Campbell."

"I don't know what the hold-up is; it's about who has got the rights," she added. "But that's a piss-poor excuse anymore. Find who has got the rights, freakin' pay it. It's better to have 80 percent of something than 100 percent of nothing. Don't waste this opportunity; reinvigorate that franchise!" she said, stressing the show's international appeal. It's an insane international character. They're fools not to bring it back. It's funny, it's sexy, it's action."

The actress also has been vocal about wanting to play the character again — despite the fact that Xena (spoiler alert) died in the series finale.

For NBC, a Xena reboot could give the network a perfect companion for fellow genre player Grimm on Fridays. The network in recent years has attempted to launch several shows on Fridays at 9 p.m. after Grimm — Constantine, Crossbones, Dracula *— none of which have made it to a second season.

Revisiting Xena comes as reboots continue to be in high demand as broadcast and cable networks alike look to proven commodities (and fan bases) to cut through the clutter in an increasingly competitive scripted landscape. Key to their success is having the original producers involved. For its part, NBC is also readying a Coach follow-up with star Craig T. Nelson. Fox, meanwhile, is bringing The X-Files back in January and has plans to produce another run of Prison Break after successfully reviving 24 on top of its film-to-TV take on Minority Report. Over at CBS, the network will launch a TV remake of Limitless with Bradley Cooper attached and will bow its Rush Hour adaptation come midseason.

Would you watch a Xena reboot? Sound off in the comments section, below.

 

[Pink Ranger]

Interesting idea. The original show had its merits, but it was hardly an untouchable classic IMO, so a remake or reboot could be pretty good.

 

[Rodrigo90]

They shouldn't omit Hercules. He pulled Xena of her dark path...at least in the ORIGINAL...

 

[terry78]

It's gonna be so weird. Lawless just has that kind of face.

 

[Rodrigo90]

Yeah. I've been watching Hercules and Xena a lot on Netflix over the past few days. They were my favourite shows as a kid.

Lucy's eyes are so piercing. If looks could kill...

 

[Dark Raven]

Don't know who they could get as the new Xena, but I wouldn't like it to be exactly the same as the original series. I think I would like a different type of woman. Maybe one not so beefy.

 

[Primal Slayer]

They shouldn't omit Hercules. He pulled Xena of her dark path...at least in the ORIGINAL...

Well there is a bit of bad blood there so....dont see it happening.