Jared Padalecki & Jensen Ackles Assure Fans ‘Things Are Good’ After ‘Supernatural’ Spinoff Fallout

Supernatural Season 9 Jensen Ackles Jared Padalecki Dean Sam
Liane Hentscher / ©The CW / Courtesy: Everett Collection

UPDATE 6/25/2021 (2:50 p.m.):

Following Jared Padalecki expressing surprise about learning about a Supernatural prequel spinoff in the works with his costar Jensen Ackles executive producing (and narrating), the former co-stars took to Twitter to assure fans everything’s OK between them.

“@JensenAckles and I had a great talk, as we do often, and things are good,” Padalecki tweeted on June 25. “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. Bumps don’t stop us. Once brothers, always brothers.”

Ackles then quote-tweeted that and added, “Love you @jarpad … Miss these talks. I forgot how much face time we always used to get. And I miss that too. I know you’re busy…as am I, but you’re still my brother. I miss you, pal.”

Original story 6/25/2021 (12:34 p.m.):

After sharing his initial shocked reaction to news of a Supernatural spinoff (involving Jensen Ackles), Jared Padalecki went on Twitter to make sure fans know to keep things civil.

“Hey world. Thank you for the love,” he wrote in his latest tweet. “Please PLEASE don’t send any hate or threats. I care deeply about everybody involved and would be in true misery if any of them were harmed or threatened.”

His comments come  after news broke on June 24 that Jensen Ackles — who starred as Dean Winchester, alongside Padalecki’s Sam for 15 seasons — and his wife Danneel Ackles have a Supernatural prequel in the works at the CW. They would executive produce alongside Supernatural co-executive producer Robbie Thompson, who is attached to write.

“Before Sam and Dean, there was John and Mary,” the logline reads, according to Deadline. “Told from the perspective of narrator Dean Winchester (Jensen Ackles), The Winchesters is 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.” (Jeffrey Dean Morgan and Samantha Smith played John and Mary on Supernatural, while Matt Cohen and Amy Gumenick took on the roles in flashbacks.)

But it seems that was news to Padalecki, as he shared on Twitter when he quote-tweeted Ackles’ post on Thursday. “Dude. Happy for you,” he wrote. “Wish I heard about this some way other than Twitter. I’m excited to watch, but bummed that Sam Winchester had no involvement whatsoever.”

A fan assumed it was just a joke, but Padalecki insisted it wasn’t. “This is the first I’ve heard about it,” he wrote. “I’m gutted.”

It wasn’t news to Supernatural creator Eric Kripke, however, who voiced his support for the project on Twitter. “When @JensenAckles first told me this story, I loved it,” he tweeted. “He & @DanneelHarris & @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.” (Padalecki stars on Walker on the CW; the drama has already been renewed for a second season.)

The Winchesters is a third attempt at a Supernatural spinoff. During the 15-season run (2005-2020), backdoor pilots for Bloodlines and Wayward Sisters aired. Neither was picked up.