Richard Speight Jr. to Bring ‘Supernatural’ Trickster Loki to ‘The Winchesters’

Richard Speight Jr in 'Supernatural'
Exclusive
THE EVERETT COLLECTION

It’s getting tricky over at The Winchesters!

The CW has just confirmed that Supernatural alum Richard Speight Jr. is set to reprise his role as Loki on the eighth episode of the mothership’s prequel hit. As SPN fans know, Speight’s character is the Norse demigod and the original Trickster, described by the net’s release as being “as dangerous as he is wily.” Still sporting that “veneer of whimsy to mask his malevolence, Loki thrives on crooked games and sowing chaos — and Hunters are one of his favorite playthings.”

Supernatural - Richard Speight, Jr.

Dean Buscher/The CW

“Richard’s an old friend of mine, so it was a question of when, not if,” offers showrunner Robbie Thompson, who gives “total credit” to the show’s writers for finding a way to work Loki into the early Winchester lore. “I think it was in New Orleans actually when we were shooting Episode 2, so I wasn’t in the writer’s room, obviously,” he says. “But I was reading their notes and was like, ‘Hey, wait a minute….and then I just got really, really excited because it felt like [they’d come up with] an opportunity for us to welcome a friend that we’ve seen before, but maybe not in a way that folks are, are expected.”

At The WinchestersNew York Comic Con panel in October, Thompson and exec producers Jensen and Daneel Ackles revealed that Speight had been lined up to direct a few episodes, but kept the casting news close to the vest… aside from Thompson’s veiled hint at being “low-key” excited (get it? low-key, Loki?) about an upcoming cameo. Eagle-eyed attendees may have noticed spoiler-phobic star Drake Rodger‘s eyes bugging out of his head at that one.

But now the cat is out of the bag and clearly, this is the first of many Supernatural characters we might see drop in. So who are you hoping will visit John and Mary? Leave your wish lists in the comments section below. And be nice to each other!

The Winchesters, Tuesdays, 8/7c, The CW