Supernatural Season 16 Is Finally Possible After The CW’s Disappointing TV Show Cancellation
It was recently announced that The CW is canceling Walker prior to its fifth season, and now that the network has a gap where the Western drama used to be, they can fill it with a highly anticipated return: Supernatural season 16. For months now, there has been discussion about the possibility of Supernatural returning for a 16th season. The speculation began in 2023 after the show’s stars, Jared Padalecki and Jensen Ackles, revealed that conversations were being had about a return. Now, fans are eagerly waiting a new season and Walker’s cancelation may present a perfect opportunity.
After being acquired by Nexstar, The CW has faced some major changes to its operations. Although the network used to be known for The CW’s original shows like The Vampire Diaries and Shadowhunters, it is now replacing much of its scripted drama with sports and game show entertainment. The big push here from Nexstar is to get The CW into a place where it is profitable again, however that means sacrificing some of the network’s biggest shows. That is where Walker’s cancelation comes into play. The CW canceled Walker simply because it cost too much to justify keeping it alive.
The CW Canceling Walker Makes Supernatural Season 16 More Likely
Now that Walker has been canceled, Supernatural season 16 is much more likely. There are two reasons for this. First and foremost, Supernatural aired on The CW for 15 seasons, and in turn, was one of the network’s most successful shows. In this way, it seems likely that the network would want the show back if it returned for a sixteenth season. Furthermore, with Walker now canceled, there is a spot open for Supernatural to air. As Nexstar continues acquiring new rights to sports and entertainment, they could also sink their teeth back into the Supernatural franchise.
The other aspect of Walker’s cancelation that makes Supernatural more possible is Jared Padalecki. A big part of Supernatural season 16 happening is finding time when both Padalecki and Ackles are available to work on it. In recent years, Padalecki’s biggest piece of work was Walker. However, now that the series is officially over, Padalecki should have plenty of time to tackle the next stage of Supernatural. While Walker’s cancelation is likely a disappointment for the actor, it is beneficial that he is now free to pursue other projects, namely Supernatural’s return.
A Supernatural Return Makes Sense For Jared Padalecki After Walker’s Ending
Working on Supernatural right after Walker would be beneficial for Jared Padalecki. Padalecki did Supernatural for so long that it could have easily put him into a box as “the Supernatural guy,” however Walker gave him a chance to prove himself. His role in Walker told audiences he was committed to continuing his career, even after 15 years of Supernatural. And now that Walker is over, it makes sense that Padalecki would return to Supernatural.
Walker and Supernatural were his two most profitable shows, and it seems safer to stick with their odds than those of an entirely new show.
Furthermore, Jared Padalecki has had a good thing going with The CW. It seems likely that he has formed close relationships with those at the network, especially since becoming an executive producer on Walker. In this way, Padalecki and The CW both know what to expect from each other, which is a safer bet than Supernatural turning to a new network. Overall, Padalecki returning to Supernatural and The CW after Walker’s cancelation ensures that the series will feel as it always did, even though it has been four years since the finale of Supernatural.
What Jensen Ackles & Jared Padalecki Have Said About Supernatural Season 16’s Chances
As previously mentioned, Jared Padalecki and Jensen Ackles were the ones who brought up Supernatural season 16 in the first place. At the 2023 Creation Honolulu convention, the actors were on a panel wherein they confirmed that continuing Supernatural would be a possibility. While Ackles told audiences to stay tuned, Padalecki said, “I have some ideas, and I hope that now that the writers are back, and the actors are back, that we all get together.” Later, in an interview with Collider, Padalecki offered a condition to Supernatural season 16’s return.
Padalecki revealed that he and Ackles would ideally like to return for Supernatural season 16 if it is “a labor of love.” More specifically, he does not want to return just to return, and wants the newest season to be something special and logical with the ending of Supernatural. In other interviews, Padalecki mentioned shorter seasons and this could certainly be a helpful avenue. Furthermore, audiences may enjoy a venture back to Supernatural’s dark horror roots. Regardless, Supernatural season 16 is a definite possibility, and Walker’s cancelation may be just the thing.
