New information from Jensen Ackles and Jared Padalecki means a Supernatural reunion for Sam and Dean Winchester is closer to happening than ever.
Summary
- A Supernatural revival is likely happening soon, as Jensen Ackles and Jared Padalecki have openly discussed the prospect and indicated that conversations are currently happening behind closed doors.
- Ackles and Padalecki's recent remarks suggest that a Sam and Dean Winchester reunion is no longer a distant possibility, but a concrete plan in the works.
- The cancellation of The Winchesters may have influenced their stance on a Supernatural return, indicating that the franchise struggles without Sam and Dean as main characters.
A Supernatural revival always looked inevitable, but new information suggests Sam and Dean Winchester's onscreen reunion will happen sooner rather than later. After debuting in 2005 and spending 15 years as one of TV's premiere fantasy franchises, Supernatural came to an end in 2020. Lead actors Jensen Ackles and Jared Padalecki have since enjoyed success elsewhere, with the former suiting up as Soldier Boy in The Boys and Gen V, and the latter reinventing Walker for a new generation. Nevertheless, talk of a Supernatural revival started before the show had even finished, and has followed the actors around like a witch's hex bag ever since.
Indeed, the topic of Supernatural's future was raised at Creation Honolulu 2023, where a joint Q&A session was conducted with Ackles and Padalecki. This was not the first occasion since Supernatural's series finale that the subject of a revival has been broached. Intriguingly, however, the actors not only spoke openly about the prospect of more Supernatural adventures for Sam and Dean, their comments prompted intense speculation that something more tangible is currently gestating behind the scenes.
Will Supernatural Season 16 Ever Happen?
Supernatural's series finale waves goodbye to Sam and Dean Winchester after an epic journey - but is there still a chance for season 16?Jared Padalecki optimistically revealed, "I have some ideas, and I hope that now that the writers are back, and the actors are back, that we all get together." Fueling that fire further, Jensen Ackles chimed in, "Stay tuned on that. There are some conversations regarding that conversation that are being had." Whenever the two actors have been questioned about Supernatural's future previously, their answers generally showed openness to the possibility of making a comeback, but never indicated any active movement. In 2022, for example, Ackles claimed a Supernatural continuation was a possibility, but for some unspecified point in the future.
Jared and Jensen's new remarks signal two major shifts in tone. Firstly, both actors confirm beyond doubt that a Sam and Dean Winchester reunion is no longer some far-off possibility, but an active conversation currently happening behind closed doors. For context, their comments were made in response to a hypothetical question about what Sam and Dean might be doing after Supernatural's ending, which means whatever the actors were alluding to in their answers must involve the Winchester brothers specifically.
The second big shift is that Ackles and Padalecki are moving forward together. The Supernatural actors had a brotherly tiff when Ackles announced The Winchesters without Padalecki's involvement. Whatever coals are now in the fire at CW headquarters, Jared and Jensen are stoking them together. Rather than a Supernatural spinoff or prequel, their joint involvement suggests current plans lean more toward a revival, continuation, or sequel that brings Sam and Dean Winchester back to the forefront.
The Winchesters Getting Canceled Makes A Supernatural Revival More Likely
Exactly why Jensen Ackles and Jared Padalecki's stance on a Supernatural return has shifted is unclear, but it may have something to do with The Winchesters being canceled by The CW in May 2023. The spinoff starred younger versions of Sam and Dean's parents, and featured Ackles as an executive producer. Dean also appeared onscreen, playing a significant role in The Winchesters season 1's finale, but his presence was not enough to save the prequel from The CW's bloodthirsty cancelation axe. The Winchesters' premature ending not only opens the door for different Supernatural projects, it underlines how badly the franchise struggles without Sam and Dean Winchester as the leads.
Two previous attempts at Supernatural spinoffs - Bloodlines and Wayward Sisters - failed to get beyond the backdoor pilot stage. After Wayward Sisters was dropped, The CW's own president admitted that a Supernatural franchise beyond Sam and Dean may not exist. The Winchesters managed to go one better than its predecessors and air one full season, but still failed to emulate the success of its parent series, and may have been the final attempt to prove the CW's hypothesis wrong. Evidently, it did not achieve that, which may account for why Jensen Ackles and Jared Padalecki are now both involved in discussions regarding future Supernatural stories.
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Supernatural
- Release Date:
- 2005-09-13
- Cast:
- Jensen Ackles, Misha Collins, Jim Beaver, Jared Padalecki, Katie Cassidy, Lauren Cohan, Mark A. Sheppard, Mark Pellegrino, Alexander Calvert
- Seasons:
- 15
- Genres:
- Action, Adventure, Mystery
- Writers:
- Eric Kripke, Andrew Dabb, Robert Berens
- Network:
- The WB, The CW
- Franchise(s):
- Supernatural
- Directors:
- Philip Sgriccia, John F. Showalter, Robert Singer
- Showrunner:
- Eric Kripke
- Story By:
- Eric Kripke
- Season List:
- Supernatural - Season 1, Supernatural - Season 2, Supernatural - Season 3, Supernatural - Season 4, Supernatural - Season 5, Supernatural - Season 6, Supernatural - Season 7, Supernatural - Season 8, Supernatural - Season 9, Supernatural - Season 10, Supernatural - Season 11, Supernatural - Season 12, Supernatural - Season 13, Supernatural - Season 14, Supernatural - Season 15
