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A reboot of Xena: Warrior Princess is in development

A reboot of Xena: Warrior Princess is in development

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Xena may soon return from Hades. According to The Hollywood Reporter, NBC is getting ready to reboot the classic fantasy epic Xena: Warrior Princess 15 years after its finale. Original executive producers Sam Raimi and Rob Tapert are already attached for what's being called a "modern reboot," and the search for a writer is already underway. NBC hopes the new series will hit screens in 2016.

"Reinvigorate that franchise."

According to THR, the new Xena series will take a new lens to the cult heroine, who'll be a blend of Lucy Lawless and Katniss Everdeen from The Hunger Games. It's unclear what role Lawless herself will play, but insiders say they want her both on set and behind the scenes. The timing couldn't be better on that front; Lawless, who is working with fellow Xena alum Bruce Campbell on Starz's Ash vs. the Evil Dead, only recently made comments at Comic-Con about the need to bring the character back. "I don't know what the holdup is," she toldHitFix. "Don't waste this opportunity. Reinvigorate that franchise."

Xena: Warrior Princess debuted in 1995 as a spinoff of fellow sword-and-sandals series Hercules: The Legendary Journeys. During its six-season run, however, its popularity sailed past its predecessor's, and cemented its title character in popular culture. Xena, along with her companion and soulmate Gabrielle, are now regarded as feminist and LGBT icons, laying the groundwork for such female-led action series as Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Dark Angel. As such, it's not enough to get the reboot off the ground. NBC also needs to get Xena right.