NBC Has Killed The “Xena: Warrior Princess” Reboot

Almost two years ago, NBC made mythological leather fetishists and geek dreams come true by announcing plans to reboot the cheesy 90s television gem Xena: Warrior Princess. They even promised that, unlike the first time around, they weren’t going to play coy about Xena’s relationship with her sidekick Gabrielle. We were going to get a full-on whip-cracking chakram-whipping lesbian primetime TV adventure series. Except now we’re not. Much like Gabrielle’s hair in the fourth season, plans for NBC’s reboot of Xena don’t look so good.

According to The Hollywood Reporter says, NBC has decided to scrap their Xena reboot. NBC Entertainment president Jennifer Salke spoke to THR and let it be known in no uncertain terms that you shouldn’t be holding your breath to see Lucy Lawless or anyone else slip into Xena’s Amazonian gold-plated boob armor.

“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.”

NBC might not want to reboot Xena right now, but that doesn’t mean they’re not interested in reboots. They brought back Will & Grace, and have decided to reboot Miami Vice. Earlier this month, it was reported that NBC was trying to get new versions of The Office, 30 Rock, ER, and The West Wing.

In April, the Xena reboot lost its showrunner, Javier Grillo-Marxuach, who claimed he left due to “creative differences.” Javier’s vision was for Xena and Gabrielle to be absolutely, no doubt about it, out lesbians. The Hollywood Reporter doesn’t say if that’s the creative difference that made him pick his things and leave.

Wonder Woman was a huge, massive (one could say Amazonian-sized) hit, so maybe NBC is just worried that people will see this Xena reboot as a cheap knock-off. Or a cheap knock-off of their coupon budget version of Wonder Woman. Or maybe they just didn’t want Javier’s vision of lesbian warriors. Well who cares about NBC? Someone else should reboot it. Netflix, how’s your wallet situation? I know you’ve already basically got the prison version of Xena and Gabrielle (aka Alex and Piper on Orange Is the New Black). But trust me – Xena and Gabrielle are way more interesting to watch.

Pic: NBCUniversal