Another campaign, another let's give it a try

This is not to attack the current Xena movie campaign. In my best guesstimate, this is like campaign movement number 6,520,146. So, it's all been said and done before. I think with each influx of new fans or fans rediscovering the series, there's always an attempt to get the studio (Universal) to recognize the potential that a movie would bring.

The reality is, no amount of writing campaign, postcards, video watching, or Facebook likes will get the studio to budge on something nobody is entirely sure the actors want in the first place.

Yes, I know that Lucy Lawless has stated that she'd love to do a movie; however, given the fact she's stated and re-stated the fact that she's moved on with that part of her life just makes the issue all the more confusing. After all, if knew a good portion of my audience was still Xena fans, I'd probably say things that won't hurt their feelings either. And who can blame Lucy? After the vitriol spewed at her in the year after Xena ended, I'd probably play the safe bet too. The Xena fandom, yeah sure it's all nice and charitable, but when things are said that upset them--they're worse than Xena on a bad day. Now, I'm not picking on Lucy for any particular reason. I speak with fair certainty that she doesn't mean to harm people with saying she'd love to do a Xena movie.

Even if the actors were fully behind the project, that doesn't make it any more possible. The problem is, is that Universal has said repeatedly over the past six years that they are not interested in making Xena film in any shape or form. They asked people to stop writing about it because it's not going to happen.

Why history matters:

Back in the early 2000s, the Firefly fandom raised up holy hell at FOX for canceling the series without giving it a proper send off. Cult favorites tend to generate a firestorm and most never really get what the want. The Browncoats (as Firefly fans are called) started up a writing campaign to get something to wrap up the series. FOX wasn't budging--but Universal said they were interested. More fans wrote in... then in 2005 they got their wish. Universal released "Serenity."

The movie flopped at the box office. Didn't even make back what it cost to film the movie. While the home video sales did well, the reality set in for Universal that taking a series to feature film with the original cast based on a bunch of letters proved to be an utter disaster.

At the time of the failure (or least scary feelings of a possible failure), Universal dropped the Xena movie project in 2005. The "reported" story was conflict over the budget killed the movie. It might have well have been budget, but I think the failure of Serenity sealed the fate of a Xena movie. Universal is in the business of making money, Xena was a risky gamble.

Other attempts where made with Rogue Studios (a subsidiary of Universal) in late 2005 and throughout 2006. Over the next few years, rumors went around about a possible direct-to-DVD. That too failed. In 2008 and 2009 Rob Tapert officially announced that the movie was dead and that wasn't going to happen.

This is not to say don't do it. But no matter how many signatures you all get or Facebook likes you get, it won't change that the fact that Universal is NOT going to make a movie.

DVD re-releases of Xena and Hercules

Fans hoping to get the Xena and Hercules DVDs have had their prayers answered. As reported on the website, these are re-releases and not releases (at this early time) of the Anchor Bay releases from about five years ago.

The sets will retail for around $26.98, making it about $30 to $60 cheaper than the original re-releases.

A couple of notes about the audio and visual aspects. It appears, according to information from TV Shows on DVD that the video will be full screen with standard 2.0 audio.

If extras are not included, there is a reason for this. Davis-Panzer owns the bonus material that was included on the series releases. They filmed it, they included it on the sets before Anchor Bay distributed to stores nationwide.

Now, what does this mean by re-releasing the DVDs, probably nothing.

But BUY the sets. I'm being sincere. What better way to show interest in something that's been off the air than to clear the shelves of the sets from stores across the country.

Xena movie news!

Creators would love a Xena reunion

Rob Tapert, former producer of TV's Xena: Warrior Princess, told SCI FI Wire that pretty much everyone involved in the old show would love to see Xena (Lucy Lawless) pick up her chakram once again for a TV movie or some other kind of reunion project.

Tapert said he even had an idea in mind, but that matters are entirely out of his hands.

"That's a Universal question," Tapert said in an interview, adding: "Meaning [NBC] Universal ... Television [Group]. I don't control the strings."

Xena ran from 1995-2001 and starred Lawless--aka Mrs. Rob Tapert--as the title heroine and Renee O'Connor as her plucky sidekick, Gabrielle. The show was both a mainstream and cult success during its time on the air, and to this day its stars and makers attend conventions worldwide.

Unfortunately, fans' hopes for a reunion movie have yet to be realized. "We've said long ago that we'd love to do something," Tapert said. "We have a fun, 300-style idea for it. ... I can't answer [why nothing's happening]." (NBC Universal Television is owned by NBC Universal, which also owns SCIFI.COM.) --Ian Spelling

Source: http://www.scifi.com/scifiwire/index.php?id=61261

NBC buys Oxgen for $925 million

Why it wouldn't be a good thing to move 'Xena' off of the Oh! Network

NBC Universal has purchased the Oxygen Network for a paltry $925 million. What does that spell for 'Xena' fans who watch the show on the network? Hopefully nothing.

A lot of fans are clamouring for the series to move over to the Sci-Fi, Bravo, or USA because those networks are in more homes, etc. What these fans fail to realize is that Oxygen has the rights until 2009.

But no only that, Oxygen doesn't edit the episodes. If it goes to Sci-Fi, USA, or Bravo be prepared to lose two to four minutes in each episode. That's right. Edited for time and content. Oxygen doesn't do that to our show.

So ask yourself now, do you want to keep the full episodes on Oxygen or do you want some jerk off in an editing lab deems inappropriate or waste. Think about it.

I posted about the purchase of Oxygen last week.