Jensen Ackles Finally Has A Proper Supernatural Replacement, 4 Years After The Show Ended (2024)

From 2005 through 2020, Jensen Ackles became well-known for portraying Dean Winchester on Supernatural, and he is now taking on a brand-new leading role beyond the paranormal CW drama. Since the 1990s, Ackles has had an active career, but Supernatural is the series that truly thrust him into the limelight. After appearing in every Supernatural season, Ackles became cemented as Dean Winchester, the reckless and stubborn older brother of the Winchester duo.

It has been four years since Supernatural's series finale, and though Jensen Ackles has been hard at work, it is hard to shake his reputation as Dean Winchester. The main reason for this is Supernatural's length. After playing one role for 15 years, it is difficult for audiences to separate the actor from the character. Plus, Ackles returned to play Dean in the prequel show The Winchesters. Although the actor has been in some major roles since then, including Soldier Boy in The Boys, he is now set to lead his own series in a brand-new project.

Countdown Finally Gives Jensen Ackles His Supernatural Replacement Show

Countdown Will Be Ackles' Next Big Leading Role

Although Jensen Ackles has been busy since Supernatural's ending, his upcoming leading role could finally be a good replacement for Dean Winchester. Reportedly, Jensen Ackles is leading a new series called Countdown. The show was created by Derek Haas, who is best known for his work on FBI: International and the One Chicago franchise. Produced by Prime Video, the series centers on a murder that takes place in broad daylight, and an LAPD agent who must join a special team to solve the crime. Ackles plays the protagonist, LAPD Officer Mark Meachum.

Countdown could be big for Ackles because it is his first post-Supernatural show where he is the true lead. In both The Boys and Big Sky, Ackles played a main role but did not star as the lead character. In Countdown, though, Ackles is not only the main role but the first person to be cast, suggesting the entire project will center around his character. This hints that Jensen Ackles is the big name on this project, and therefore, his role as Mark Meachum could be just as influential as Dean Winchester was if Countdown works.

What Else Jensen Ackles Appeared In Since Supernatural

Ackles Has Been In The Boys, Walker, & Big Sky

Since Supernatural's series finale in 2020, Jensen Ackles has continued appearing on television, including in his role as narrator on The Winchesters, in which he also made a cameo via a photograph. In 2022, he also directed an episode of the CW western, Walker, which also bore a Supernatural connection as the Walker, Texas Ranger reboot starred his former onscreen brother Jared Padalecki. More recently, Ackles has also taken on a small role in CBS' Tracker. Below, see a breakdown of Ackles' most prominent television roles since the end of Supernatural:

Ackles has continued to find success on television, particularly in his roles as Soldier Boy, a Captain America parody who appears on the Prime Video superhero show The Boys and Sheriff Beau Arlen, who became one of the most important characters in Big Sky season 3. He has also starred in a wide variety of animated features based on DC Comics, voicing Batman in titles including Batman: The Long Halloween and Justice League: Crisis on Infinite Earths. Despite these various roles, Jensen Ackles is still heavily connected to Supernatural, though things might change thanks to his new leading role.

What Jensen Ackles Has Said About Playing Dean Winchester Again

The Supernatural Franchise Still Has A Chance Of Continuing

One thing that The Winchesters seemed to prove was that, no matter how far away he gets in the interim, Ackles has a willingness to the show that made him a star. In addition to being the narrator of the show, which followed the younger years of Sam and Dean's parents Mary Campbell (Meg Donnelly) and John Winchester (Drake Rodger), he was an executive producer helping guide the project to the screen. However, The Winchesters was one of many CW shows that were cancelled amid the transition period when the network was sold to Nexstar by its parent company.

In spite of the show's abrupt cancellation, Ackles' Supernatural future doesn't necessarily look grim. While there is no word on any such project that is officially in development, Collider reported from the 2023 Creation Honolulu convention that Ackles was asked about a potential Supernatural season 16 and he said to "stay tuned on that." He and Padalecki, who was also present, confirmed that conversations were being had about the continuation of the iconic franchise, though it is unknown if the current incarnation of The CW would be involved, which seems somewhat unlikely given their current approach to scripted series.

What Jensen Ackles' New Show Means For Tracker Season 2

Russell Shaw May Not Become A Major Character On The Show

One of Ackles' most promising post-Supernatural roles is that of Russell Shaw, the older brother of Justin Hartley's lead character Colter on Tracker. One of the most complicated elements of Colter's backstory was his father's death when he was a child and the fact that he still had lingering suspicions that his estranged brother Russell was responsible. Ackles appeared in a single episode late in season 1 of the show, and it seemed like the character, and his prickly dynamic with Colter, could become a major fixture in season 2, which was officially renewed in March 2024.

This would have followed the same pattern as his Big Sky role, with a brief appearance on one season expanding to become a robust character in the next. However, the Supernatural star's Countdown role may prevent this. In addition to complicating his schedule considerably to the point that he may not have time to appear, the prospect of being a special guest star on a few episodes of Tracker, or even a supporting main cast member, likely isn't as enticing as finally finding another lead role after being one of the top-billed stars of a successful show for fifteen seasons.

Source: Collider

Supernatural

Action

Adventure

Mystery

Created by Eric Kripke, Supernatural is a fantasy/drama series that premiered in 2005. The series follows the adventures of Dean and Sam Winchester - two men wronged by supernatural beings as children who now spend their days investigating and hunting demons, ghosts, and monsters across the United States.

Cast

Jensen Ackles , Misha Collins , Jim Beaver , Jared Padalecki , Katie Cassidy , Lauren Cohan , Mark A. Sheppard , Mark Pellegrino , Alexander Calvert

Release Date

September 13, 2005

Seasons

15

Network

The WB , The CW

Franchise(s)

Supernatural

Writers

Eric Kripke , Andrew Dabb , Robert Berens