https://richardpoe.substack.com/p/how-the-british-caused-the-american
I've seen this idea from several sources. The British figured that American 'Manifest Destiny' would mean annexing Canada eventually. It didn't cost the Brits a lot to stir up Southern resentments against the North. So they South got played.
iirc they decided to do the reboot after Michelle Trachtenberg died.
I'm not going to speculate about it, but I'd think that Geller and Trachtenberg were friends and I do know that Geller has resisted doing a reboot for years.