A Supernatural reunion of sorts is in the cards as Jensen Ackles is set to direct Jared Padalecki in an upcoming episode of The CW's Walker. The two co-starred on the hit CW series Supernatural, in which they played brothers Sam and Dean Winchester for 15 seasons until the series finale last November. One might think they had earned a break after a decade and a half, but neither star spent much time away from the television spotlight after Supernatural.
Jensen Ackles is playing Soldier Boy in season 3 of Amazon's The Boys, which wrapped filming earlier this month on the one-year anniversary of his wrap on Supernatural. Meanwhile, Jared Padalecki has found himself a starring role in Walker, which he also produces. Walker, which premiered on January 21, 2021, is a reboot of the classic Chuck Norris series Walker, Texas Ranger. It follows a widowed father returning to Austin, Texas, to reconnect with his children and investigate the circumstances around his wife's death. The show also stars Lindsey Morgan, Molly Hagan, and Keegan Allen.
Per TVLine, Jensen Ackles will be directing season 2, episode 7 of Walker. The second season premieres on Thursday, October 28, so not much is currently known about the upcoming plot. However, Supernatural's Mitch Pileggi also stars on the show and will be featured in the episode, so the three can swap CW war stories while on set.
Although Jared Padalecki originally wanted Ackles to star in Walker rather than himself, he ended up taking the role, still hoping his former castmate would appear at some point. Obviously, his wish has come to fruition, albeit in an unusual way. Having Ackles return as a director rather than a cast member might sound odd, but it's not quite as strange as it seems. Starting in 2010, Ackles stepped behind the camera to direct Supernatural, eventually helming six episodes over the years in addition to starring in the show. He already has experience directing Padalecki, so this is a perfect fit for him.
Supernatural fans may not be able to see the beloved Winchester brothers together onscreen, but knowing that they were able to bring their on-set chemistry to Walker (even behind the scenes) is a thrill. Also, there's no saying whether or not Ackles will be able to resist showing up in a bit part. It's hard to imagine him not throwing a bone to everyone who's missing the show that was a mainstay of sci-fi/fantasy television since 2005.
Source: TVLine