NBC is eyeing another reboot for its 2016 schedule. A return for "Xena: Warrior Princess" is in the early development stages at the Peacock network and a search is on for a writer, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
Original executive producers Rob Tapert and Sam Raimi are also involved in the "modern reboot" and Lucy Lawless, who first played the warrior princess, is being eyed for an on-screen and behind-the-scenes role.
NBC is looking to premiere the series in 2016, but has not announced whether the series would be a limited 13-episode run or a renewable series. The original series spun off from "Hercules" and ran in syndication for six season between Sept. 1995 and June 2001.
The new Xena would possess the same "charm and charisma" as Lawless and smarts like Katniss Everdeen in "The Hunger Games," according to The Hollywood Reporter. Producers want a sophisticated and smart superhero for a new generation.
Lawless made a strong pitch for a reboot recently at San Diego Comic-Con when speaking with HitFix.
"I don't know what the holdup is," the 47-year-old actress said. "It's about who's got the rights [to the series]. But that's a piss poor excuse anymore. I think they just...find who's got the rights. Freakin' pay it. It's better to have 80 percent of something than 100 percent of nothing. Don't waste this opportunity. Reinvigorate that franchise...They're fools not to bring it back."
"Xena: Warrior Princess" would follow the '90s sitcom, "Coach," and the sci-fi drama, "Heroes" as rebooted shows on NBC. The trend of rebooting known properties is occurring across network television due to their built-in audiences.
Fox will launch a "Minority Report" series this fall and bring back "The X-Files" for a six-episode limited series in January. CBS has created a series based on the Bradley Cooper movie, "Limitless," for the fall and a "Rush Hour" adaptation for midseason.
