Tag Archives: Lucy Lawless

The Lesbian Reboot of ‘Xena: Warrior Princess’ Has Been Nixed

Last year we reported NBC was planning a big, lesbian reboot of Xena: Warrior Princess, but that reboot is apparently dead in the water.

The reboot, which was set to bring back co-creators Rob Tapert and Sam Raimi, was going to focus more on the lesbian relationship between the Amazonian goddess and Gabrielle – played by Lucy Lawless and Renee O’Connor respectively in the original.

But problems occurred when it was announced that writer and showrunner Javier Grillo-Marxuach (Lost, The 100) left the project over creative differences.

When he left the project in April he wrote:

I’m heartbroken to have left the Xena project over insurmountable creative differences. The character is dear to me, and to millions of fans worldwide, and I truly believe that now — more than ever — a land in turmoil cries out for a hero. I truly hope that the alchemy of creative elements that has to come together to make possible either a reboot or revival of this amazing property will someday coalesce, and that Xena will return in a way that does honor to what came before while looking to the future.”

It was rumored that these creative differences stemmed from him wanting to put the lesbian relationship front-and-center, which lead to today’s announcement from NBC Entertainment president Jennifer Salke that the reboot won’t go forward at all.

Salke told the Hollywood Reporter.

Nothing is happening on that right now. We looked at some material; we decided at that point that it didn’t warrant the reboot.”

NBC says it hasn’t closed itself off entirely to a reboot down the line so, while you wait for them to get their shit together and make the right decision on this, catch up on the original show on Hulu.

Our ‘Warrior Princess’ Is Set to Return, But What Do The Original Cast And Writer Think About It?

My heart actually pounded when I heard Xena would be coming back to our screens via NBC network.

I crushed on her so much it was incredible! Along with the fact I was convinced she was getting down and dirty with Gabrielle I would listen to every word exchanged between them, convinced I was correct.

Oh, if only there had been such a thing as Fan Edits back then. I’d have died and gone to heaven creating skits for Xena and Gabrielle.

According to the Executive Producer of the reboot, Javier Grillo-Marxauch, this time around Xena and Gabrielle will be in a full-on relationship. Liz Friedman, the out writer of the original series told AfterEllen this was something the network didn’t want to come across. She said:

The studio was very worried about it, and I was the one saying to them ‘Guys, no one’s ever gonna think they’re gay.”

She reflects back to her own relationship with her then girlfriend who is now her wife and continued:

 We would go to the supermarket and I am a white Jew, she’s Creole and people would look at us, and it was clear that we were connected in some way, and they’d go ‘Are you two sisters?’ That fuck each other! What was bizarre to me that lesbians were so invisible in the real world, but then something just happened and I just assumed no one would ever think that about Xena and Gabrielle.”

Never think it? Girl, I KNEW it. Liz is not so sure what she thinks about a remake of this cult classic though. She seems to have a few mixed reactions about the whole concept.

I don’t know that it calls for a remake and yet I do think the idea of making what was subtext text is interesting and what you can add to it.  But I think the biggest thing we did was show this profound personal connection between two women and we never walled it off and said ‘But they’re straight, but they’re straight, but they’re straight.’ And I do think that, in its own way, is incredibly subversive.”

Javier Grillo-Marxuach cited the changing social views of the public when it comes to same-sex relationships as fuelling the decision to let them both become a couple. That’s cool, don’t get me wrong, but imagine what a difference it could’ve made to lez’s 15 years ago if they had had an out gay couple to drool over and look up to?

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Lucy Lawless who played the original Xena also seems to have some reservations of her own about a reboot. Lucy seems to think that if they are taking Xena and Gabrielle to the next level then they could go a step further. She suggested:

Now they need to make them an inter-racial couple, Black Xena!”

Now there’s an idea NBC. Are you listening? An inter-racial lez couple would be amazing for queer diversity. Xena will hit our screens later this year and I will just have to tune in and see what it’s like.

In my opinion remakes are either complete rubbish or really good. There is no middle ground.  So I shall be waiting in anticipation to see what Xena and Gabrielle will be getting up to together in this new edition.

No more than what I imagined back in the late 90’s I’m sure.

Could It Be? Writer Hints That New ‘Xena’ Reboot Could Be Super Queer Affair

After some “are they/aren’t they?” confusion last year, the Xena reboot is definitely moving ahead on NBC.

The network has already assigned executive producer, and writer Javier Grillo-Marxuach to the project.

And, if that name is familiar, it’s because Grillo-Marxuach is also a writer CW’s show, The 100, and was responsible for writing the recent controversial episode Thirteen. An episode in which we so the beloved character Lexa (Alycia Debnam Carey) killed off.

Lexa was a leading character, who was also the current love interest of lead protagonist Clarke Griffin (Eliza Taylor). However, when Debnam Carey signed on for the second season of Fear the Walking Dead as Alicia, The 100 knew they’d have to wrap up Lexa’s storyline before the actress left. They chose to kill her off.

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So how does this tie into the Xena reboot?

For years, fans of Xena have known the Warrior Princess and her companion Gabrielle were more than just friends. The network and the times just hadn’t caught up with them.

But in 2016 things look to be changing.

A fan of The 100 recently asked Grillo-Marxuach if the reaction to Lexa’s death would influence his writing on future projects like Xena.

 

His response was awesome:

I am a very different person with a very different world view than my employer on the 100 – and my work on the 100 was to use my skills to bring that vision to life.

Xena will be a very different show made for very different reasons. There is no reason to bring back Xena if it is not there for the purpose of fully exploring a relationship that could only be shown sub-textually in first-run syndication in the 1990s. It will also express my view of the world – which is only further informed by what is happening right now – and is not too difficult to know what that is if you do some digging.”

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So, we wait with baited breath, and wonder if his words will hold true.

7 Reasons Why We Need ‘Xena: Warrior Princess’ Back on Our Screens

Great Xena: Warrior Princess maybe back on our screens.

So, here are 7 reasons why a Xena reboot is long overdue.

1. Because she dawned the age of the female superhero

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2. Because no one has battle cry was like Xena’s – Ayayayayayaya!

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3. Because an episode of Xena is basically a history lesson – from Trojan War and the political world of Julius Caesar, we saw it all.

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4. Because Xena and Gabrielle lesbian love story broke our hearts were

Long before on-screen couples like Alex and Piper could declare their love explicitly, Xena and Gabrielle just bathed wordlessly together.

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5. Because no one can accessorise like Xena can accessorise

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6. Because Gabrielle was the best sidekick, ever

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7. Because Lucy Lawless rocks

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Yes! ‘Xena: Warrior Princess’ Reboot in the Works at NBC

It time to get your battle armour ready, as Xena: Warrior Princess maybe heading back to our television screens – fifteen years after the last episode of the show aired.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, the original executive producers Sam Raimi and Rob Tapert, are apparently planning a “modern reboot” – however, the pair still want the show’s main star, Lucy Lawless, heavily involved – with insiders saying she will be working both on set and behind the scenes.

At this year’s Comic-Con, Lawless shared her frustration that a reboot has not yet been made.

I’ve been pitching that show … because … there’s a swell of interest still. I’m always being peppered with questions [about] when the Xena movie is coming. Guys, I’m pitching my ass off to make it happen, whether it’s with me or not. I think it’d be funny to have a reboot like Ash vs. Evil Dead — like middle-aged Xena in a muumuu with a bad attitude and a smoking habit. … Bring [actor] Ted Raimi [who played Joxer] in … [and maybe] Bruce Campbell.”

She added

I don’t know what the hold-up is; it’s about who has got the rights, but that’s a piss-poor excuse anymore. Find who has got the rights, freakin’ pay it. It’s better to have 80% of something than 100% of nothing. Don’t waste this opportunity; reinvigorate that franchise!”

During its six-season run, the show’s popularity excelled – largely due to Xena’s on/off lesbian relationship with her companion Gabrielle, with the pair now regarded as feminist and LGBT icons.

The news follows a report by TV watchdog Ofcom earlier this month, which claimed broadcasters are failing to make minorities feel represented on screen. The report revealed that a majority of the LGBT community feel that they are either under-represented on television or portrayed in a negative way.

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Revisiting Xena comes as reboots continue to be in high demand as broadcast and cable networks alike look to proven commodities (and fan bases) to cut through the clutter in an increasingly competitive scripted landscape. Key to their success is having the original producers involved.

For its part, NBC is also readying a Coach follow-up with star Craig T. Nelson. Fox, meanwhile, is bringing The X-Files back in January and has plans to produce another run of Prison Break after successfully reviving 24 on top of its film-to-TV take on Minority Report. 

Marvel Reveal First Look at Lucy Lawless in Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D. Season 2

Give any media-loving feminist the time of day and they’ll talk your ear off about the representation of women as ass-kicking world savers.

As seen with recent movie release Lucy and Marvel’s oft-problematic portrayal of Black Widow (and the sexualisation of her curves – as presented by Scarlett Johansson) on the off chance that we do see a woman restore hope first and take names later, there’s a good chance that they’ll get it wrong. But in Xena: Warrior Princess there were no such missteps as not only were we given a badass lady to look up to, she was also bisexual and paved the way for same sex fan fiction and queer subtext.

Now, Xena actress Lucy Lawless is set to break ground again, joining Marvel TV show Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D in its upcoming season.

Sadly, it doesn’t seem as though Lawless will completely be nodding toward her heroic roots but her role in Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D will be a pivotal one nonetheless. Lawless will play Agent Isabelle Hartley as she teams up with Director Coulson to help rebuild the S.H.I.E.L.D organisation after it was revealed at the end of the show’s first season that it had been infiltrated by Hydra, the criminal faction with a goal of global domination.

Dangerous stuff indeed which is why Lawless’ role as Hartley could be so important. Hartley is also said to be a veteran S.H.I.E.L.D agent which makes her inclusion in the upcoming season all the more important and it offers slim hope for those waiting for Marvel to turn their poor history on the representation of women around. Given that Lawless is also known for her roles on other female-fronted shows such as Parks and Recreation and has embraced the sci-fi genre in Battlestar Galactica too, that would certainly be a step in the right direction but as little is known about Hartley’s story line for now, we’ll have to wait until we know much more.

Agents of S.H.I.E.LD season two premieres Tuesday, Sept. 23 at 9/8c on ABC.