Jared Padalecki, Jensen Ackles resolve 'Supernatural' drama

One man stands with his arm around another's shoulders

June 25, 2021 Updated 4:04 PM PT

Well, that was awkward.

There’s a “Supernatural” prequel in development, and one of the Winchester brothers had no clue.

“Dude. Happy for you,” actor Jared Padalecki wrote Thursday as he quote-tweeted former costar Jensen Ackles’ quasi-announcement via a Deadline story about plans for a prequel focused on the parents of “Supernatural” characters Sam and Dean Winchester.

“Wish I heard about this some way other than Twitter. I’m excited to watch, but bummed that Sam Winchester had no involvement whatsoever,” added Padalecki, who portrayed Sam on the hit TV series.

Shortly before the actor’s tweet, “Supernatural” showrunner Eric Kripke wrote on Twitter, “When @JensenAckles first told me this story, I loved it. He & @DaneelHarriss & @rthompson1138 are the perfect people to make it. (The other perfect person is too busy Texas Rangering.) Thanks for carrying the torch, guys, go kick it in the ass. Proud of you. #SPN #SPNFamily.” (Note that untagged reference to Padalecki.)

That Padalecki’s character wouldn’t be involved isn’t completely illogical: The concept, coming from Ackles and wife Danneel Ackles’ production company, will focus on the earlier life of the John and Mary Winchester characters — Sam and Dean’s parents on the CW’s long-running “Supernatural.”

Ackles, reprising his older-brother Dean Winchester role, will narrate, but it sounds as if the prequel will take place largely before younger brother Sam’s birth.

Also, as Kripke mentioned, “Gilmore Girls” veteran Padalecki is currently starring in the WB’s “Walker,” a remake of the ‘90s CBS series “Walker, Texas Ranger.”

The hour-long new drama will tell “the epic, untold love story of how John met Mary and how they put it all on the line to not only save their love, but the entire world,” Warner Bros. TV said in a statement. The prequel has a script commitment. Meanwhile, Ackles will be seen playing Soldier Boy in the upcoming third season of Amazon’s “The Boys,” created by Kripke.

Per “Supernatural” canon, John (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) became a monster hunter after his monster-hunting wife Mary (Samantha Smith) was killed by a demon. She gave birth to Sam shortly before she was killed. Through some writer magic, both characters appeared often, and quite alive, during the run of the show, which took place years after Mary’s death. But there hasn’t been a true origin story about the parents’ relationship.

“After ‘Supernatural’ wrapped its 15th season, we knew it wasn’t over. Because like we say in the show, “nothing ever really ends, does it?,” Jensen Ackles said in a statement. “When Danneel and I formed Chaos Machine Productions, we knew the first story we wanted to tell was the story of John and Mary Winchester, or rather the ‘Supernatural’ origin story. I always felt like my character, Dean, would have wanted to know more about his parents’ relationship and how it came to be. So I love the thought of having him take us on this journey.”

Chaos Machine entered an exclusive, multiyear deal with Warner Bros. Television Group last October, Variety reported. Jensen and Danneel Ackles are working with former DC creative Renee Reiff, now Chaos’ head of development. Robbie Thompson, another “Supernatural” veteran with writing credits on 18 episodes, is executive producer and writer on the prequel.

“Supernatural” ran for 15 seasons, all but one of them on the CW, propelled in part by serious support from a loyal fandom. Delayed by the pandemic, the “Supernatural” finale aired Nov. 19, 2020.

A good chunk of that fandom had “Walker” star Padalecki’s back, it seems, after a follow-up tweet Thursday where he said he was “gutted” by the news. Then there were those who wondered if Padalecki truly knew nothing, as he had allegedly been seen in a livestream with Ackles in the past where the concept was discussed. Some chided him for airing a personal conflict privately.

But the actor went in another direction Friday, first urging his fans to stay chill on social media — he didn’t want to see anything bad happen to people he cares about — and then posting that everything was cool.

“@JensenAckles and I had a great talk, as we do often, and things are good,” Padalecki tweeted. “The show is early in the process with miles to go.

“We’ve travelled a lot of roads together, and sometimes those damn roads have bumps,” he continued. “Bumps don’t stop us. Once brothers, always brothers.”

Representatives for Padalecki and Ackles did not respond to requests for comment Friday.