Why Xena Warrior Princess Still Deserves A Reboot (But Hercules Doesn’t)

Why Xena: Warrior Princess Still Deserves A Reboot (But Hercules Doesn’t)

The genre classic Xena: Warrior Princess is iconic and deserves a reboot, but not if it means rebooting Hercules: The Legendary Journeys as well.

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Why Xena Warrior Princess Still Deserves A Reboot (But Hercules Doesn’t)

Xena: Warrior Princess is overdue for and deserving of a reboot, but its partner, Hercules: The Legendary Journeys, does not. In an era dominated by remakes and reimaginings, it is surprising that a well-known and well-liked property like Xena has remained relatively untouched for 20 years. But with the recent success of projects like Wonder Woman and Jessica Jones, it seems like now is the perfect time to bring back Xena, whereas Hercules might be better off left alone.

Xena: Warrior Princess and Hercules: The Legendary Journeys both premiered in 1995 and were effectively companion shows to one another. Xena follows a gritty warrior princess with a dark and fabled past as she battles gods and warlords for the greater good in hopes of finding redemption. Similarly, Hercules centers on the demigod son of Zeus as he travels around Greece saving people and slaying monsters, despite the efforts of his vengeful stepmother, the Goddess Hera, to thwart him. Both shows are comparably rated (Hercules holding a 6.5 on IMDb compared to Xena’s 6.7), both ran for six seasons before ending (although two years apart), and the two stories would often intertwine, with each character appearing in several episodes of the other’s show.

However, while a Xena reboot would be embraced, a Hercules reboot would be a bad idea. Although the two characters had much in common during their run, the actors that portrayed them have proven to be very different. Lucy Lawless, the Xena actress and New Zealand native, is a well-respected activist and philanthropist. She spends much of her time fundraising for the Starship Foundation, a charity that supplies support to the staff and patients of the Starship Child Health hospital in Auckland. She has also appeared in tremendously successful TV shows, including Battlestar Galactica, Spartacus, and Parks and Recreation. Contrastingly, Kevin Sorbo has done little acting of note since Hercules, barring appearances in a handful of video games (often as Hercules) and a short stint on Supergirl. He has often found himself the center of controversy with his anti-Semitic and conspiracy theory commentary. Though the reboots needn’t necessarily feature their original actors (especially considering Xena died in Warrior Princess’s finale), Lawless’ return would certainly be more welcome.

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Beyond how each lead actor is perceived, Xena: Warrior Princess was a trailblazer, portraying a strong female lead in a way that was well-rounded and admirable. The character became something of a queer icon as well, which Lawless has subsequently embraced and championed, and with the fan base it still commands, a Xena remake seems long overdue. While Hercules: The Legendary Journeys was a decent show, it wasn’t exactly anything new, and since its ending there have been numerous attempts at rehashing Hercules’ story, seeing the likes of Kellan Lutz and even Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson in the titular role. There is even a live-action remake of Disney’s animated Hercules from 1997 in the works. The story of Hercules has been told time and time again with mostly underwhelming results, so to bring the show back doesn’t seem like a risk worth taking.

While it would be nice to see something of the show again for nostalgia’s sake, a full reboot of Hercules: The Legendary Journeys is unnecessary and, at this point, arguably unwanted. But a Xena: Warrior Princess reboot has the potential to reach a new audience using updated effects and reference material. With or without Lawless attached, Xena is a feminist icon, and the prospect of an updated and modern retelling of her story is all too exciting.

Link Source : https://screenrant.com/xena-warrior-princess-reboot-deserved-not-hercules/

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