Xena

Get ready for an information overload, as a recent i09 interview between ‘Xena’ comic author Genevieve Valentine and new showrunner Javier Grillo-Marxuach shed a lot of light on the reboot of ‘Xena: Warrior Princess‘ and what fans can expect from the upcoming show. This time around it seems, the show will be much less episodic, that is, it will not always be a self-contained hour of show, but rather something more modern and serialized:

“One big thing is that we are telling a much more serialized story than the show ever tackled. So formally we are already treading some very different ground – and while the characters will occupy roughly the same thematic spaces they did in the original, some of their backstories will be changed, and some of their morality will be tweaked so that we can tell a long-arcing story in which every episode leads directly into the next. It’s a delicate balancing act.”

Another potential difference will be the costume design on the show, as the creators feel the skimpy outfits of the originals will not fly as well with modern audiences (although I’m not sure it will matter to male audiences…):

“A great deal of the appeal of the show lies in certain pulpy elements – like Gabrielle’s bare midriff, Xena’s leather miniskirt, Callisto’s amazing and gravity-defying… well, you get it. And it’s hard for me in the post-Brienne of Tarth era to reconcile with the idea that Xena and her friends can meet every challenge in such skimpy outfits. I think we are going to have some very lengthy discussions about how to bring those elements into the present day without missing the boat on what makes Xena exactly what she is; and how to have our cake and eat it too.”

Also, sadly, they confirmed that Lucy Lawless will not be back, as they want this to apparently be ‘Xena’ for a new generation:

“…Lucy Lawless and Renee O’Connor are not going to be Xena and Gabrielle. That already has a lot of people in an uproar. The question of reboot vs. revival is a very relevant now that The X-Fileshas been revived with the original cast, and so has Star Wars… and because the die hard fans want to see their beloved actors in the role. And look, I love these actors in these roles as much as I love William Shatner as Kirk, Sean Connery as Bond, and Lynda Carter as Diana Prince – so why does this need to be a reboot and not a continuation?

The answer for me is that the reboot is not a repudiation of the classic show, but rather a compliment to it. I want for Xena to be a cultural icon for longer than my tenure in the entertainment industry, or that of anyone else involved with the project. If, in some far future, people assume that Xena is a character from the greek mythological pantheon alongside Hercules, and that’s why so many people have played her over so many years? That right there would be success.”

That is a lot of information to process, but feel free to share your thoughts and opinions on the new ‘Xena’ and whether you think the show has a chance at success in the comments below!

Source: Collider