Xena Reboot Is Indeed in the Works, NBC Boss Says—Lucy Lawless Credits "Beautiful" Fans

NBC's Robert Greenblatt says they're looking for a writer to give their take on the Warrior Princess

By Chris Harnick Aug 13, 2015 2:30 PMTags
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There is a Xena reboot! There isn't a Xena reboot! There is a Xena reboot—maybe! Fans emotions have been bounced around more times than Xena's chakram in the last few weeks with news of a Xena: Warrior Princess making headlines left and right.

First, Lucy Lawless reiterated her desire to suit up in the leather outfit for another go alongside Renee O'Connor as Gabrielle. Then news broke that NBC was working with the show's original producers, including Lawless' husband, on a reboot, not a revival. Lawless followed up that news with a tweet saying that it's all a rumor. Then we talked to her and she continued to maintain she doesn't know what's happening, if anything is. And that brings us to today: NBC's Robert Greenblatt told The Hollywood Reporter NBCUniversal is indeed working on a reboot of Xena: Warrior Princess with Sam Raimi and Rob Tapert by way of NBC International. They're searching for the writer now.

"We want to do it," Greenblatt said. But what would Xena look like in 2016? That depends on the writer, when and if they find one. But Greenblatt said he doesn't think it's "just a continuation," yet cautioned they haven't gotten that far in development.

"I think it's a great character, and we should try to figure out how to revive it somehow," he said. So what about Lawless? Would she be on screen? Behind the scenes? Reminder: Lawless is Xena to many, many, many fans.

"We'd love to have Lucy be a part of it — if we felt that her presence didn't overshadow the direction we take with it. I'm not sure how she could be part of it if she wasn't playing Xena, and I don't know if that's a direction we'll ever go," he said.

Lawless responded to Greenblatt's comments and THR's article on Twitter. "If a #Xena reboot gets made, it's because the fans are beautiful, hardcore nutballs who want what they want," she said.

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While promoting her new series Ash vs. Evil Dead, Lawless told us she would consider being involved with the series.

"Depends who," she said when asked if she'd be involved with a reboot. "It's got to honor the original kind of legacy of the show. It's got to be true to the original. I would not stand by just anybody's take of it. I wouldn't make it hard for them. I think NBCUniversal really does want to make it, and they have every right to, but if somebody made it and I thought they were doing a s--tty thing to those characters, I'd take that a little personally."

It's been almost 20 years since Xena first premiered and fans are still going gaga over the show and the pair at the heart of it. Lawless and O'Connor recently posted a reunion selfie that went viral across the Internet.

"It's gotten more fervent, it's gotten so fervent, just lately. Like it's kinda red hot. That's why I don't want to hurt them. I wouldn't lie about these things," Lawless told us about the reboot/revival potential. "I'm not lying, sadly. I wish."

Would you watch a new Xena without Lawless involved?

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