Back in August, NBC Entertainment Chairman Bob Greenblatt confirmed to THR that a “new take on Xena” was in the “early stages of development.” At the time, the firm was looking for a writer, so fans will be excited to know that the project has been progressing. Grillo-Marxuach will, of course, have a major role. As Greenblatt previously mentioned, their choice of writer will impact the focus of the reboot.
The original Xena ran from 1995 to 2001 and starred Lucy Lawless as the titular warrior princess. The series followed Xena on her quest for redemption, fighting for innocents along the way. The original executive producers, Rob Tapert and Sam Raimi, will be back for the reboot, working alongside Grillo-Marxuach. Lawless is not currently attached, but Greenblatt made it clear that they’d love to involve her in some way — just not as Xena.
“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,” said the exec. The door seems to be open for Lawless to be involved either with an on-screen role or on the creative side. And she’s doubly close to the project, given that she’s married to Tapert.
Grillo-Marxuach comes to the project having worked on a variety of TV series. In addition to Lost, his filmography includes Law & Order: SVU and Charmed. The last of these, in particular, is relevant to Xena, what with its strong female protagonists and action sequences. He has most recently co-executive produced Helix, a Syfy thriller drama.
The Xena reboot is being produced by NBC International Television Studios.
