This article is about the series. For the title character, seeXena. For the eponymous video game based on the series, seeXena: Warrior Princess (video game).
Xena: Warrior Princess is an Americanfantasy television series filmed inNew Zealand, which aired in first-runsyndication from September 4, 1995, to June 18, 2001.[1]
Writer-director-producerRobert Tapert created the series in 1995 under his production tag, Renaissance Pictures, with executive producers R. J. Stewart (who developed the series along with Tapert) andSam Raimi. The series narrative followsXena (played byLucy Lawless), an infamous warrior looking to be redeemed for her past sins against the innocent by using her formidable fighting skills to aid those who are defenseless. Her companionGabrielle (played byRenee O'Connor) grows from a simple farm girl into anAmazon warrior and Xena's soulmate and comrade-in-arms during the series; her initial naïveté helps to balance Xena and assists her in recognizing and pursuing the greater good. In 2012, star Lawless asserted that her character, Xena, was from "ancientBulgaria,Thrace",[2] when the character is stated in the series to come from theancient Greekcity ofAmphipolis,[3] which is located in the nearbyregion ofCentral Macedonia[4] inmodern Greece. However, at the time, Amphipolis was, in fact, a Thracian city which was inhabited by Greeks, so it is likely that she was Thracian by birth, and Greek by culture.
The show is aspin-off of the television seriesHercules: The Legendary Journeys;[5] the saga began with three episodes inHercules in which Xena was a recurring character originally scheduled to die in her third appearance. Aware of the character's sudden popularity among the public, the producers of the series decided to launch a spin-off series based on her adventures.Xena became a successful show which has aired in more than 108 countries around the world since 1998. In 2004[6] and 2007, it ranked #9 and #10 onTV Guide's Top Cult Shows Ever[7] and the title character ranked #100 onBravo's 100 Greatest TV Characters.[8]Xena's success has led to hundreds of tie-in products, includingcomics,books,video games andconventions, realized annually since 1998 inPasadena, California and inLondon.[9]
The series overtook its predecessor in ratings and in popularity.[10] In its second season, it became the top-rated syndicated drama series on American television. For all six years,Xena remained in the top five.[11] Cancellation of the series was announced in October 2000, and the series finale aired in the summer of 2001.[12] On August 13, 2015NBC Entertainment chairmanBob Greenblatt said aXena reboot was in development, with Raimi and Tapert returning as executive producers, with the show's debut sometime in 2016.[13]Javier Grillo-Marxuach was hired as writer and producer for the reboot,[14] but left the project in April 2017 because of creative differences. In August 2017, NBC announced that it had cancelled its plans for the reboot for the foreseeable future.[15]
"In a time of ancient gods, warlords and kings, a land in turmoil cried out for a hero. She was Xena, a mighty princess forged in the heat of battle. The power, the passion, the danger. Her courage will change the world!"
Xena: Warrior Princess is set primarily in a fantasy version ofancient Greece (sometimes alluding toRoman Greece) and was filmed in New Zealand. Some filming locations are confidential[clarification needed], but many scenes were recorded in places such as theWaitākere Ranges Regional Park, part of theAuckland Regional parks often credited at the end of the episodes.[16]
The Ancient Greece depicted in the show is largely derived from historical locations and customs, modifying known places and events – battles, trading routes, towns, and so on – to generate an attractive fictional world. The settlements are presented as a mixture of walled villages and rural hamlets set in a lush green, mountainous landscape. They are often seen under attack from warlords, and travelling between them involves frequent encounters with small bands of outlaws. All of the main towns are named after historic towns of Ancient Greece, and exhibit some of their essential characteristics –Amphipolis (birthplace ofXena[3]),Potidaea (birthplace ofGabrielle[17]),Athens (birthplace ofJoxer[18]),Corinth,Delphi, andCirra (birthplace ofCallisto[19]) which was burnt to the ground by Xena's army.
As the show progressed, however, events took place throughout more modern times and places, fromCleopatra'sAlexandria toJulius Caesar'sRome. The mythology of the show transitioned from that of theOlympian Gods to includeJudeo-Christian elements. Eastern religions were touched on as well, disregarding concerns about the accuracy of the setting. One episode, "The Way", which loosely interpreted elements ofHinduism as major plot points, generated controversy, requiring the producers to add a disclaimer at the head of the episode and a tag explaining the episode's intentions at its end.[20]
Mythological and supernatural locations are presented as equally real, physical places, often accessed through physical portals hidden in the landscape such as lakes and caves. They include theElysian Fields,Tartarus, theRiver Styx,Valhalla,Heaven andHell. The inhabitants of such places – gods, mythological beings and forces – are for the most part manifested as human characters who can move at will between their domains and the real world.Ares, the Greek God of War, for instance, is an egotistical man who wears studded black leather, andAphrodite, Goddess of Love, is aCaliforniaValley girl who uses typical Valley girl slang and dresses in flowing, translucent pink gowns.
Xena is ahistorical fantasy set primarily inancient Greece, although the setting is flexible in both time and location and occasionally featuresEgyptian,[21]Indian,Chinese,Central Asian,[22] andMedieval European[23] elements. The flexible fantasy framework of the show accommodates a considerable range of theatrical styles, from highmelodrama toslapstick comedy, from whimsical and musical[24] to all-outaction andadventure. While the show is typically set in ancient times, its themes are essentially modern and it investigates the ideas of taking responsibility for past misdeeds, the value of human life, personal liberty and sacrifice, and friendship. The show often addresses ethical dilemmas, such as the morality ofpacifism; however, the storylines rarely seek to provide unequivocal solutions.[citation needed]
Xena freely borrows names and themes from variousmythologies around the world, primarily theGreek,anachronistically adapting them to suit the demands of the storyline. Historical figures and events from a number of different historical eras and myths make numerous appearances, and the main characters are often credited with resolving important historical situations. These include an encounter withHomer before he was famous, in which Gabrielle encourages his storytelling aspirations;[25]the fall of Troy;[26] and the capture ofCaesar by pirates, with Xena cast as the pirate leader.
Competing religions are treated as compatible and co-existent in ahenotheistic world, allowing theGreek Pantheon to live side by side with theNorse Gods,Indian Deities, the "God of Love" and others. Each god, or set of gods, controls a different part of the world, and (in the show) survives only while people believe in it. In seasons four and five, the Greek people gradually transfer their faith from the Greek Gods to the "God of Love" over an approximate 25-year period, and as their power fades, the Greek Gods are almost all killed off in a climactic battle.
This quirky mix of timelines and the amalgamation of historical and mythological elements fueled the rise of the show to cult status during the 1990s and early 2000s. It was one of the first shows to tap into itsInternet following, allowing fans from all over the world to discuss and suggest things related to the show. TheXena fandom is still an active community today.
Xena: Warrior Princess starredLucy Lawless as Xena andRenee O'Connor asGabrielle. The first choice for Xena was the British actressVanessa Angel,[27] but an illness prevented her from travelling, and the role was offered to four other actresses before the relatively unknown Lawless.Sunny Doench was cast as Gabrielle, but she did not want to leave her boyfriend in the United States, so O'Connor, who had appeared inHercules in another role, was chosen.
The musical score ofXena: Warrior Princess was critically well received and garnered sevenEmmy nominations forLoDuca, who won the Emmy award for Outstanding Music Composition for a Series (Dramatic Underscore) for the Season 5 episodeFallen Angel in 2000. Most of the series' music was made available on six soundtrack albums. Two of these albums contain the soundtracks from the musical episodes "The Bitter Suite" (Season 3) and "Lyre, Lyre, Hearts on Fire" (Season 5).
Low ratings in the US market have led to the winding down of its production in Auckland in October 2000, with filming scheduled to end in April 2001. Between 150 to 200 crew and actors were facing a lack of jobs and income from local businesses, including the catering and timber industries, would collapse. The series lasted longer than most productions shot in New Zealand (mostly for local audiences) and that its crew could easily find other job sources elsewhere. Production of the final season was scheduled to finish in November 2000. In New Zealand, both rights holders (over-the-air channelTV3 airing season 3 and subscription channelSky 1 airing season 4 at the time of the decision) were keen on buying the last remaining seasons of the show.[29]
The series follows Xena and her traveling companion Gabrielle. Xena is on a quest to redeem herself for her dark past by using her formidable fighting skills to help people. InHercules, during her two first episodes, Xena was a villain and a powerful warlord, but in her third appearance she joinsHercules to defeat the warlord Darphus, who had taken her army. During her own series, Xena spends almost every episode on a different mission, always trying to do the right thing, fighting for what she refers to as the "greater good".[30] Xena's trademark weapon is achakram, and she also uses asword.[31] Xena also has to fight her own past; she has never forgiven herself for her crimes, and often has to resist the temptation to return to her evil ways, but she always resists with the help of Gabrielle. Gabrielle is Xena's best friend, soulmate and greatest ally. She is introduced in the first episode, first as a big fan of Xena and her history,[3] but soon becomes a notable character in her own right. As the show progresses she undergoes significant changes in costume and style, evolving from a simple farm girl to a talentedbard, and eventually to a formidable warrior. She is initiated into a tribe ofAmazons,[32] learns to fight with astaff, and is trained by Xena. In the first season, Xena and Gabrielle meetJoxer,[19] a comic man who styles himself "Joxer the Magnificent", and later "Joxer the Mighty."[33] Joxer's goal is to fight for justice, but unfortunately with no physical know-how of his own, he remains the show's maincomic relief. Eventually he becomes a close friend to Xena and Gabrielle.
In the first season, Xena and Gabrielle meet two of their greatest enemies:Callisto (Hudson Leick),[19] a vengeful warrior woman, andAres (Kevin Tod Smith), the Greek God of War.[34] Callisto is Xena's arch-enemy and a major antagonist over the course of the series. When Callisto was a child, her home village of Cirra was burned nearly to the ground by Xena, killing her family.[19] She was lefttraumatized by the attack and eventually wentinsane, becoming obsessed with exactingrevenge on Xena. She displays a bizarre brand ofsadistic, gleeful, shrieking cruelty towards Xena and her associates. Hercules himself reappears alongside Iolaus - who becomes interested in Gabrielle - when Xena seeks to freePrometheus fromHera.
Ares - suave, charming, witty, yet ruthless and amoral - often represents, especially in the early seasons, the seductive power of war and the dark side. He repeatedly attempts to lureXena away from her quest for redemption, and tries to win her over as his Warrior Queen.[34] He offers her huge armies and historic victories, great wealth and great power, and in later seasons his love,[35] offers which she consistently rejects despite sometimes being tempted. Much of his relationship with Xena remainsambiguous, including whether he is at least partly redeemed by his love for Xena, and to what extent Xena reciprocates his feelings. He says several times that he "has a thing" for Xena, and he pursues her sexually and romantically. This seems to prevent him killing her, even when pitted against her in deadly combat.[36][37] Likewise, it is suggested that Xena has strong feelings for Ares, but throughout the series she is never seen to act on them.
Other major antagonists of the show includeCaesar andAlti, a Roman official and shamaness respectively. Caesar's first appearance was in the second-season episode "Destiny." He is introduced as a young Romanpatrician[38] brimming with arrogance - so much so, that when he is captured byXena and her pirates he is not afraid. When threatened by Xena he tells her"I know what I'm fated to do with my life."[39] He pretends to let Xena seduce him, when in reality she is the one being seduced. This ultimately leads to her capture andcrucifixion at his hands,[39] and he orders his men to break her legs - an extremely painful memory that is often revisited during the series. Caesar's betrayal fills her with rage, and is the catalyst for her transition from pirate to warlord.
Alti is an evilshamaness from the NorthernAmazon tribes ofSiberia, who had been driven out of her tribe because of her hunger for power. She is one of the most influential people encountered by Xena in her dark days, and possesses a wealth of spiritual powers, including travelling to the spiritual realm. Alti is probably best known for her trademarkstare, which brings up pain and suffering from the target's life and unleashes the torment once again (in the form of both pain and physical symptoms). When shestares at Xena, Xena often feels the pain of her legs being broken,[39] her back being snapped,[40] and a crippling barrage of attacks from her worst enemies. As Alti grows in power during the series, she can also conjure up pain and suffering from a person's future, and from their future lives. This power backfires early in Season 4, when she shows Xena a vision from her future, of her and Gabrielle beingcrucified on Mount Amarro.[41] Xena realizes that Gabrielle must still be alive, and this gives her the strength to defeat Alti.
Over the course of the series, viewers were also introduced to family members of both Xena and Gabrielle, but most notably featured their children. Xena gave her first child, a son named Solan, to a group ofcentaurs after the death of his father,Borias, who was killed in combat against a warrior in Xena's employ. Solan never knew that Xena was his mother, despite knowing Xena for a long time. While aiding Xena andBoudica to defendBritannia againstCaesar,Gabrielle comes into contact with an evilcult that tricks her into killing one of its priestesses, Meridian.[42] Using her, the dark godDahak impregnates Gabrielle just asXena rescues her.[42] Over the next few days the child grows inside Gabrielle, and she eventually (and quite dramatically) gives birth to a girl, naming her Hope.[43] Even though she is the seed of an evil deity, Gabrielle tells Xena that she is also a part of her and that there must be some good in her as well. Being the daughter of Dahak, she quickly developed supernatural powers, and kills within hours of being born, proving to Xena that there was no chance of saving her. Hope aged amazingly fast, and, mere months after being drifted down a river by her mother, she appeared to be about 9 years old. Despite Gabrielle's hopes that she would "be good", Hope killed Xena's son Solan before being poisoned by Gabrielle herself.[44]
During the episode "The Ides of March", at the end of season 4, Xena and Gabrielle were crucified by theRomans, as Caesar is betrayed and killed byBrutus. They are later revived by a mystic namedEli with the spiritual aid of Callisto, who by that time had become an angel;[45] Callisto also engineers a plan to have Xena conceive a daughter after the resurrection, and this child is prophesied to bring about the Twilight of the Olympian gods; this girl was namedEve.[46] To escape the gods' persecution, Xena and Gabrielle fake their deaths, but their plan goes awry when Ares buries them in an ice cave where they sleep for 25 years;[47] during that time, Eve is adopted by the Roman noblemanOctavius and grows up to become Livia, the Champion of Rome, and a ruthless persecutor of Eli's followers.[48] After her return, Xena is able to turn Livia to repentance, and Livia takes back the name Eve and becomes the Messenger of Eli. After Eve's cleansing bybaptism, Xena is granted the power to kill gods as long as her daughter lives. In a final confrontation, the Twilight comes to pass when Xena kills most of the gods on Olympus to save her daughter, and is herself saved by Ares when he gives up his immortality to heal the badly injured and dying Eve and Gabrielle.[49]
Xena – the main character of the show – was born in the city of Amphipolis in northern Greece. Xena and her best friend, Gabrielle, frequently visited there over the course of the series and it was referenced often. Xena described Amphipolis as "full of life", although several times it was full of death: for instance, the city became a breeding ground for demons after Xena and Gabrielle returned from their twenty-five-year sleep.Mephistopheles, the King of Hell, had captured the soul of Xena's motherCyrene and imprisoned her inHell.
In the backstory of the show, ten years ago Xena had set out to become a warrior to protect Amphipolis from attacks by a warlord called Cortese.This was the journey that turned her into a fierce fighter with an evil reputation. When she was inspired to fight for good, she returned to Amphipolis, seeking a reunion with her mother. Along the way, she met Gabrielle in Potidaea.
In a fictionalized conversation between Julius Caesar and Xena in the "Destiny" episode inSeason 2, Xena tells himStageira "is the ancient enemy of my homeland, Amphipolis."
Gabrielle was born inPotidaea inChalkidiki, Greece, which features many times as a rural village, which should have been portrayed as a fishing village. Many pivotal episodes are based here, including the series premiere, "Sins of The Past", and "A Family Affair".
Joxer was brought up in the city ofAthens, capital of Greece, and it is often mentioned in passing. Xena and Gabrielle rarely pass through it, but it was the main setting for theclip show "Athens City Academy of the Performing Bards", and was nearly visited in "One Against an Army" and "Blind Faith".
Callisto is fromCirra inPhocis, central Greece. Xena's army torched the village when Callisto was a child, killing most of her family. Xena and Gabrielle only visit Cirra once, although it is mentioned often.
In addition to Greece, Xena and Gabrielle visit many countries during their travels, includingItaly (usually referred to by its capital, Rome),China, (called Chin),Japan (known as Jappa, only seen in the finale, and mentioned in passing in "Who's Gurkhan"),Great Britain (known as Brittania),India,Siberia,Egypt (called 'The Land of the Pharaohs'),Sahara,Morocco (in "Who's Gurkhan" and "Legacy") and severalScandinavian countries (called 'Norseland').
To remain in keeping with the ancient world, and to avoid using modern names, the script often removed the last letter of a country's name, changing China to Chin, and Japan to Jappa.
Since the end of the series, rumors have circulated that a feature-length movie was in the works. In 2003, screenwriterKatherine Fugate was approached for the project, and was quoted saying that she expected the start of production to be three to five years away, which suggested a release sometime between 2006 and 2009.[50] ActressLucy Lawless was quoted in several interviews saying she would be interested in participating in aXena film as well.[51]
In April 2009, Robert Tapert stated there was no intention of a live-actionXena feature film. "It's something that just won't happen....In twenty years or ten years, in some amount of years, likeMacGyver, likeCharlie's Angels, it [could] happen like that [with other actresses]."[52]
Following the continued online popularity of the show, a global campaign to directly bombardUniversal Pictures with requests for aXena movie was launched in April 2013. Over a few days, hundreds of thousands of messages were sent showing support for the production of aXena film starring the original cast. After receiving acknowledgement from Universal Studios' offices inAustralia,Finland, andSpain, campaign efforts were rewarded in May 2013 whenLucy Lawless stated on herTwitter account that she had been contacted by a "chap who wants to re-invigorate the #Xena brand", while warning fans that "there's a lot of red tape around #XWP so don't get your knickers in a twist. It may come back in a different form".[53][54][55] Since then, Lucy Lawless has appeared on multiple televised interviews showing her support of a potential revival of theXena franchise, stating that talks are currently underway to resolve legal issues impeding the progress of a potentialXena movie project.
Many books have been released astie-ins, includingThe Official Guide to the Xenaverse by Robert Weisbrot.[56] This includes a detailed episode guide for the first two seasons, a look behind the scenes, the story of the origin of the show, biographies ofcast and crew, and trivia about the show. After the sixth and final season,Xena Warrior Princess: Complete Illustrated Companion[57] was published.
In 1998,XENA: All I Need to Know I Learned From the Warrior Princess,[58] was published, allegedly written by Gabrielle, Bard of Potidaea and "translated" byJosepha Sherman.[59][unreliable source?] In it, Gabrielle writes enthusiastically about many of the lessons that she learned. For example, in a chapter entitled "Anything can be a weapon- Anything!", she instructs the reader on fighting with unconventional weapons; in another, "Nobody Likes a Winer", she bemoans the perils of alcohol.
There have been a number ofnovelizations by authors such asMartin H. Greenberg, and fiction such asThe Empty Throne,The Huntress and The Sphinx,The Thief of Hermes, andProphecy of Darkness. The series has also figured in many doctoral theses, including a thesis by French/American scholar, Dr. Anne Sweet,Girl Power Interrogated in Xena Warrior Princess andCharmed, Social and Economic Issues at Play in the Politics of Gender.[60]
Simutronics Corporation created anMMORPG under license calledHercules & Xena: Alliance of Heroes, based on bothXena: Warrior Princess andHercules: The Legendary Journeys. In subsequent years—after the two series left first run—Simutronics relinquished the license, removed trademarked material and rebranded the game asAlliance of Heroes. With a dwindling player base, the game was closed down on November 2, 2015.
Electronic Arts publishedXena: Warrior Princess video game for thePS1 in 1999. Played from a third-person perspective, the game play involves slashing, jumping, and kicking through a variety of primitive 3D environments. Xena can also find and use power-ups and her trademark chakram. Once thrown, the chakram becomes a first-person weapon to guide toward enemies.
Xena: Warrior Princess: Death in Chains, a multi-path video game for thePC adapted from and expanding upon the television episode of the same name, although none of the original actors provide their voices.
Xena: Warrior Princess: Girls Just Wanna Have Fun, another multi-path video game for the PC, again adapted from and expanding upon the television episode of the same name, again without the original voice actors.
Xena: Warrior Princess for thePS2 only released in Europe.
On May 16, 2024,Zen Studios released a digital pinball table inspired by the series as part of the Universal Pinball: TV Classics downloadable content forPinball FX. The other 2 tables in the pack were based on other well-known nostalgic hit NBCUniversal TV shows,Knight Rider andBattlestar Galactica.[62]
Anchor Bay Entertainment released all 6 seasons ofXena: Warrior Princess on DVD in Region 1 between 2003 and 2005, with a wide range of extras. As of 2010, these releases have been discontinued.
On January 12, 2010,Universal Studios Home Entertainment announced plans to re-releaseXena: Warrior Princess on DVD. They have subsequently re-released all six seasons. A complete series set was released on May 17, 2016.[69]
In Region 2 & 4,Universal Pictures released the entire series on DVD. In addition, a complete series collection was released on DVD in Region 2 on October 8, 2007.
Region 4 DVD:
Season 1: Part 1 and Season 1: Part 2 on 4 February 2002 (Slipbox with 3 Amaray Cases)
Season 2: Part 1 and Season 2: Part 2 on 3 October 2002 (Slipbox with 3 Amaray Cases)
Season 3 on 27 June 2003 (Slipbox with 25mm Amaray Case)
Season 4, Season 5 and Season 6 on 27 July 2004 (Slipbox with 25mm Amaray Case)
On 10 October 2005, each season were reissued into Parts 1 & 2 in standard DVD cases
Seasons 1-6 (Limited Edition Collector's Bag on 14 November 2006.
OnRotten Tomatoes, the first season has a rating of 89%, based on 9 reviews, with an average rating of 8/10. The site's critical consensus reads, "Lucy Lawless exudes steely charisma inXena: Warrior Princess, a swashbuckling actioner that transcends its origin as a spinoff and becomes a fully realized saga in its own right."[70]Ken Tucker ofEntertainment Weekly, giving the season a B+: "Xena isWonder Woman on steroids, and Lawless — with her dark bangs, moon face, light blue eyes, and small, grim smiles — plays the warrior princess with barely concealed delight."[71]
Xena has enjoyed a particular cult status in thelesbian community.[74] Some of the lesbianfan base see Xena and Gabrielle as a couple and have embraced them as role models and lesbian icons.[75][76] Xena's popularity was successfully utilized bySubaru when trying to establish a healthy base of lesbian customers: one ad had a car with the license plate "XENA LVR" (Xena lover).[77]
A subject of much interest and debate among viewers is the question of whether Xena and Gabrielle are lovers.[78][79] The issue is left deliberately ambiguous by the writers. Jokes, innuendo, and other subtle evidence of a romantic relationship between Xena and Gabrielle is referred to as "lesbian subtext" or simply "subtext" by fans.[76][79][80] The issue of the true nature of the Xena/Gabrielle relationship caused intense "shipping" debates inXena fandom, which turned especially impassioned due to spillover from real-life debates aboutsame-sex sexuality andgay rights.[78]
Many fans felt that the sexual nature of Xena and Gabrielle's relationship was cemented by an interview given byLucy Lawless toLesbian News magazine in 2003. Lawless stated that after the series finale, where Gabrielle revives Xena with a mouth-to-mouth water transfer filmed to look like a full kiss, she had come to believe that Xena and Gabrielle's relationship was "definitely gay". "There was always a, 'Well, she might be or she might not be' but when there was that drip of water passing between their lips in the very final scene, that cemented it for me. Now it wasn't just that Xena wasbisexual and kinda liked her gal pal and they kind of fooled around sometimes, it was 'Nope, they're married, man'."[81]
TheXena fandom also popularized the termaltfic (from "alternative fiction") to refer to same-sex romanticfan fiction.[82]
Xena cosplayer in an outfit similar to the one in the series
In 2006, Lucy Lawless donated her personal Xena costume to theNational Museum of American History.[83] In an interview the same year withSmithsonian magazine, she was asked the question "Was the Warrior Princess outfit comfortable?" and responded:
Not at first, because they would put boning in thecorset. It would cover up those little floating ribs that are so important for breathing, so I'd feel like I was having panic attacks. But it just became a second skin after a while. It was very functional, once I got over the modesty factor. I admit to being a little bit embarrassed the first couple weeks because I'd never worn anything so short.[83]
Uberfic is a variety offan fiction in which the characters live in analternate universe. The characters and events are true to the originalcanon, but usually in a different time period, often as theancestors,descendants, orreincarnations of canon characters. The term originated inXena fandom.Uber was employed several times in the series, beginning with the second-season episode "The Xena Scrolls", in which the descendants of Xena, Gabrielle and Joxer meet up at an archeological dig in 1940 and unwittingly release Ares from his tomb.[84]
On July 20, 2015, it was reported thatNBC was developing aXena reboot series, with Raimi and Tapert returning as executive producers, with the show's debut sometime in 2016. Insiders also requested that Lawless return to the series as Xena, as well as take up a role in the show's production.[85] A day later, Lawless tweeted that the reboot was a rumor.[86] On August 13, 2015,NBC Entertainment chairmanBob Greenblatt confirmed the reboot was in development.[13]Entertainment Weekly announced thatJavier Grillo-Marxuach would serve as writer and producer for the reboot.[14]
In a post onTumblr, Grillo-Marxuach stated that they would be "fully exploring a relationship that could only be shown subtextually in first-run syndication in the 1990s,"[87] which several websites such asThe Guardian[88] andNewsweek[89] took to mean "Xena will be an out and proud lesbian."[89] These articles resulted in frustration from fans regarding theerasure of Xena's apparent bisexuality; Grillo-Marxuach said "it feels like - from a few sentences - everyone has already made up their mind about what it is I am doing. I would prefer people be surprised by the story."[90] In April 2017, Grillo-Marxuach announced that he had left the project because of "insurmountable creative differences."[91]
On August 21, 2017,NBC announced that it had cancelled its plans for the reboot. NBC Entertainment president Jennifer Salke said, "I'd never say never on that one because it's such a beloved title but the current incarnation of it is dead."[92][93]
^abJune-Friesen, Katy (November 2006)."Q&A: Lucy Lawless".Smithsonian. Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian Institution. p. 44.Lucy Lawless, star of 'Xena: Warrior Princess', which aired from 1995–2001, has given her signature costume to the Museum of American History.
^"Definitions".Lunacy Reviews. February 26, 2006. Archived fromthe original on January 27, 2007. RetrievedFebruary 4, 2007.
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