NBC ‘Xena’ Reboot Officially Shelved After Writer Exit
If you’re wondering whatever became of NBC’s proposed Xena reboot after years of development, there’s good reason for the silence. NBC confirms the project has officially hung up the chakram after losing its writer in April.
Per The Hollywood Reporter, NBC will place the prospect of a new Xena series back on the shelf after LOST alum Javier Grillo-Marxuach departed the project in April. Network boss Jennifer Salke wouldn’t rule out revisiting the possibility, though nothing of Grillo-Marxuach’s ideas would be kept for future attempts:
Nothing is happening on that right now. We looked at some material; we decided at that point that it didn’t warrant the reboot. I’d never say never on that one because it’s such a beloved title but the current incarnation of it is dead … I need someone to come in with a point of view about what they want to do.
That last bit seems something of a barb, as Grillo-Marxuach was specifically said to envision the relationship between Xena and companion Gabrielle more overt (even as both would be played by new actresses). Xena co-creators Bob Tapert and Sam Raimi were also on board to executive produce, but it remains unclear if they’d return for any subsequent attempt. In first reports, the new Xena was envisioned with the charisma and charm of original series star Lucy Lawless, and the smarts of The Hunger Games’ Katniss; a sophisticated and smart superhero for a new generation.
There’s plenty of room for another writer to come in with a fresh take on Xena, but what might they bring that Grillo-Marxuach didn’t?