Chuck Norris gave the reboot of Walker, Texas Ranger his blessing. Starring Norris, the original Walker, Texas Ranger was a huge success and ran on CBS for eight seasons. Premiering in 1993, the Norris-led action crime series was noted for its recurring display of martial arts and moralistic aptitude. Last year, The CW announced it would give Walker, Texas Ranger the reboot treatment in the form of a series called Walker, with Supernatural star Jared Padalecki slated as the title character.
Steering away from the original plotlines, Walker will follow Cordell (Padalecki), a widower with two children who relocates to Austin after being undercover for two years. Discovering the bulk of his work has just begun - while being haunted by the suspicious circumstances of his wife’s death - Walker will be joined by a new partner, Micki. Produced by Padalecki, Walker has fleshed out its ensemble and cast Linsdey Morgan (The 100) as Walker’s partner, Keegan Allen as Walker’s younger brother, Mitch Pileggi (The X-files) as Walker’s father, and Genevieve Padalecki as Walker’s deceased wife. Now, Padalecki reveals Norris approves of the reboot.
On Michael Rosenbaum's podcast Inside of You, Padalecki revealed Norris doled out his blessing for the Walker, Texas Ranger reboot. “We had to get his blessing in order to create a new version of it,” Padalecki revealed after admitting he has never spoken directly to Norris. Padalecki elaborated, stating that Norris still owns the rights to the concept and his permission was required. Furthermore, Padalecki stated that he’s "thrilled" about Walker, and the opportunity to portray a new version of the iconic character.
According to Padalecki, Walker was slated to begin production in April. However, shooting halted amid coronavirus concerns. As of this writing, Walker will resume production in October, and CW is eyeing a 2021 release date for the series. Of course, Padalecki currently has a packed roster with the forthcoming end of Supernatural, which is set to air its final episodes starting October 8.
In an era of reboots and revivals, bringing an iconic series back to life could be a hit or miss. Walker, Texas Ranger was a staple of television viewing during its time, and the announcement of a reboot was met with mixed reactions. However, the casting choice of Padalecki, and permission from Norris, has solidified a strong foundation for the reboot. With the attached star power, altered plotlines, and Norris’ stamp of approval, Walker has the potential to be a series with longevity for The CW.