Dark Angel star Jessica Alba shares one condition for a reboot, two decades after the sci-fi show was cancelled. Co-created by Charles H. Elgee and Titanic director James Cameron, Dark Angel debuted on Fox in October 2000. With the story taking place in 2019, the series follows a runaway genetically enhanced supersoldier played by Alba. With a cast that included Michael Weatherly, Alimi Ballard, Jennifer Blanc, John Savage, and Jensen Ackles, among others, the series suffered from low ratings, and an unexpected directing effort from Cameron was not enough to save it.

In an interview with Entertainment Tonight to discuss her new movie Trigger Warning, Alba addressed whether she'd ever reprise her breakout television role. The actor, who garnered a Golden Globe nomination for her performance as Max Guevara in Dark Angel, said she would be interested if Cameron returned as well. Alba also noted that the sci-fi drama was ahead of its time. Read her quote below:

“Oh my goodness, would I do Dark Angel again? If [James Cameron] wanted to do Dark Angel, I would do Dark Angel again. Yeah, ’cause he really has been a mentor of mine, and it would just be fun to work with him. We have that history together, and I admire him so much, so I think it would be fun. [Dark Angel] was ahead of its time, for sure. It would be really interesting just to see where Jim and [Charles H. Eglee] would take it knowing what we know now about AI and everything, yeah, and just where technology is. It would be cool to see how… where they would dream.

Cameron Tried To Bring Back Dark Angel Once (& It Almost Worked)

Fox Reversed Their Decision.

Any further expansion may be unlikely since Cameron is heavily involved in the Avatar sequels, but at least Alba is open to it.

Suffering from a ratings decline and a high budget of more than $1 million per episode, the sci-fi series seemed headed for a certain cancellation despite the show's initially strong debut. Dark Angel's fortunes briefly changed when Cameron stepped in to direct the season 2 finale after plans with the original director fell through. This was significant, as Cameron had only executive produced the series and contributed to its story. Even more so, it marked Cameron's first time as a director since the record-breaking success of 1997's Titanic.

The season 2 finale, running for 90 minutes and featuring an appearance by the popular WWE women's wrestler Lita, was titled "Freak Nation." According to Cameron, it was enough to pave the way for Dark Angel season 3. In remarks that were published in Science Fiction Television Series: 1990-2004: Histories, Casts, And Credits For 58 Shows, the future Avatar director recalled his reaction to Fox reversing their decision. He said in part: “Monday morning we get a call saying, ’No, you’re not on the schedule! It’s been changed.’ I’ve never heard of that happening.”

Authors Frank Garcia and Mark Phillips wrote Science Fiction Television Series: 1990-2004: Histories, Casts, And Credits For 58 Shows.

Furthermore, the season 2 finale ended on a cliffhanger, which remains unresolved after two decades. While many surviving transgenics settled in Terminal City, an abandoned area in Seattle, it became surrounded by the military. With many considering escaping their new home, Alba's Max eventually gives a speech, encouraging them to stand up and not run away from their fight. The cancellation only raises questions about what happened to those characters and whether they succeeded in fending off the military.

The 2000s show, which is not available to stream, but can be purchased on DVD, was replaced in its timeslot by another sci-fi darling, Joss Whedon's Firefly. That series also had its high-profile, controversial cancellation, as it's considered one of the best sci-fi shows of the 2000s. But in the decades since, both audience favorites have found continuations outside the TV space, with Dark Angel receiving its own novels. Any further expansion may be unlikely since Cameron is heavily involved in the Avatar sequels, but at least Alba is open to it.