Xena: Warrior Princess Star Confirms Rumored Spinoff Plans & Why It Ultimately Failed To Materialize

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Xena: Warrior Princess almost had a spinoff starring a very familiar hero.

Renee O’Connor, who starred in the show, has shared details about plans for a spin-off series and why those plans didn’t work out. Xena: Warrior Princess is a highly-regarded fantasy show that centers on Xena (Lucy Lawless), a warrior trying to make amends for her past by using her abilities to help others. She’s joined on her adventures by Gabrielle (O’Connor), who starts as a simple farm girl but becomes a skilled warrior herself.

In an interview with CBR, Lucy Lawless (who played Xena) shared that after Xena: Warrior Princess ended, rumors started about a potential spinoff series focusing on her co-star, Gabrielle. Lawless confirmed that during this time, executive producer Rob Tapert told her that discussions about a Gabrielle-centered show were actually happening.

Near the end of the show’s run, people started talking about a potential spinoff centered around my character, Gabrielle. I heard about it a lot, not so much in the press, but from everyone on set here in New Zealand.

Honestly, when I first started watching, I couldn’t picture the show working if those two characters weren’t together. It’s a big part of why I adore it! I just got their connection – the chemistry, the humor, the genuine affection they shared. I truly couldn’t imagine the world of Xena without both of them, it just wouldn’t have been the same.

As O’Connor explained, she decided against doing a spin-off show focused on Gabrielle. Although she enjoyed playing her character on Xena: Warrior Princess, she believed the show wouldn’t work without the strong connection between both characters. Because of this, the spin-off was never made.

Because Xena and Gabrielle’s connection was so popular, a spin-off featuring only one of them likely wouldn’t have been successful. Their close bond – ranging from friendship to a hinted-at romance – was central to the show, and it would have suffered without both characters.

Honestly, the desire to revisit those iconic characters hasn’t faded, even after the original show ended years ago. I remember hearing buzz back in 2015 about NBC wanting to bring Xena: Warrior Princess back to television. There was even talk of Lucy Lawless reprising her role, though she herself called it just a rumor at the time. But by August of that year, NBC seemed serious – they’d hired Javier Grillo-Marxuach to write and produce a reboot series. It was exciting news for fans like me, though ultimately, that project didn’t come to fruition.

Sadly, this revival also didn’t work out. Writer Javier Grillo-Marxuach left the project in 2017 because of disagreements about the creative direction, and NBC cancelled it shortly after. Since then, there haven’t been any further efforts to bring Xena: Warrior Princess back to television. However, the strong connection between Xena and Gabrielle remained a key element in all proposed versions of the show.

Xena and Gabrielle’s story begins when Xena rescues Gabrielle, a simple farm girl, from being sold into slavery. Inspired by Xena’s strength and fighting ability, Gabrielle decides to leave her old life behind and train as a warrior. From that moment on, they travel together, and their bond deepens throughout the series.

The connection between these two characters is a key element of the show, hinting at a possible romance alongside their strong friendship. Given how important their relationship is to the original series, it’s understandable why O’Connor wouldn’t want to participate in a version where that bond isn’t present.

Even though plans for a Gabrielle spinoff of Xena: Warrior Princess never came to fruition, the show benefited from keeping Xena and Gabrielle together, which actress Lucy Lawless understood was a key part of its appeal. Ultimately, it might have been better that the spinoff didn’t happen, as it would have separated the two characters.

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2026-04-20 18:08