Supernatural fans, the wait is almost over! The first episode of The Winchesters, Supernatural’s prequel series, will be out on the CW on October 11th and will be streaming online the next day. The series, set during the 70s, will focus on Mary and John Winchester, the parents of Supernatural’s Sam and Dean Winchester. Given the amount of lore and backstory in the Supernatural universe, it won’t be easy for the series to surprise fans while still staying true to what Supernatural showed of John and Mary’s past, but with Jensen Ackles, the actor who played Dean in Supernatural, and his wife Danneel Ackles executive producing the show, there is every reason to think the series is in good hands. Ackles told Variety that the idea for a prequel series came to him during the pandemic and he and Danneel worked to figure out a story that shows John and Mary’s early relationship but does
“it in a way that skews the narrative so that we hit those waypoints that we established on ‘Supernatural,’ but get you from A to B, B to C, C to D in a way that is really unexpected.”
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Jensen Ackles as Dean Winchester
Jensen Ackles isn’t just the executive producer for The Winchesters, he’s also reprising his role as Dean Winchester to provide voice-over narration. In addition to the 15 seasons Ackles spent playing Dean on Supernatural, he is also Soldier Boy on Amazon’s The Boys which, like Supernatural, was created by Eric Kripke.
When last we saw Dean Winchester he was finally in heaven enjoying his afterlife, so it is unclear when and from where Dean is narrating The Winchesters. Of course, Dean has never let death stop him before, so there’s no reason for him to start now. As the older of the two Winchester brothers, Dean had to grow up fast after his mother died and his father became obsessed with hunting down the yellow-eyed demon who killed her. He’s smart, snarky, and loyal to a fault.
Meg Donnelly as Mary Campbell
Mary, Sam and Dean’s mother, died at the beginning of Supernatural, but like most characters in Supernatural, she didn’t entirely stay dead. While viewers, and the Winchester sons themselves, originally assumed Mary had been unaware of the demons, ghosts, and other creatures who haunt the night, it was eventually revealed that Mary was actually a skilled hunter from a large family of hunters. The Winchesters sees Mary saving people and hunting things while looking for her own missing father.
In Supernatural, Mary was played by Samantha Smith. For The Winchesters, Mary will be portrayed by Meg Donnelly. Donnelly is best known for playing Addison in the Disney Channel’s Zombies franchise. In addition to acting, she is also a talented singer, so fans will have to see if that skill is showcased in The Winchesters.
Drake Rodger as John Winchester
John Winchester, the often absentee father of Sam and Dean, has always been a controversial figure with Supernatural fans. While there’s no doubt he loved his sons, his parenting often left much to be desired. In The Winchesters viewers will be able to see a young John, just back from a tour in Vietnam, first discovering the terrifying creatures that hide just out of view. Like Mary, John is also searching for his missing father, Henry Winchester. Supernatural fans may have some ideas of where (and when) Henry is.
In Supernatural John Winchester was played by Jeffery Dean Morgan. The Winchesters will see the role played by Drake Rodger. Rodger is a relative newcomer to acting, having had roles in The In Between and Not Alone, as well as a few films that are currently in post-production.
Bianca Kajlich as Millie Winchester
Millie Winchester, John’s mother, is a mechanic who raised John alone after his father didn’t return home one night. Millie adores her son John and while she doesn’t think his search for his father and desire to become a hunter is healthy, she always tries to support him.
Millie is played by Bianca Kajlich. Kajlich has a long career in acting and most recently played Sheriff Machado on Legacies and Christina Henry on Bosch. Viewers may also recognize her from roles on Dawson’s Creek, Boston Public, and Rules of Engagement.
Demetria McKinney as Ada Monroe
The Winchester and Campbell family members aren’t the only characters who will be in The Winchesters. One of the new characters created for the show is Ada Monroe. Despite not being a hunter, Ada is knowledgeable about the occult and owns a rare book store, things that inevitably lead her to connect with John and Mary.
Ada Monroe is played by Demetria McKinney. McKinney was a series regular in the series Superstition and played Whitney Houston in the TV movie Bobbie Kristina. Like her costar Meg Donnelly, Demetria McKinney is an accomplished singer.
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Nida Khurshid as Latika Desai
Latika Desai is training to become a hunter and often works with Mary on hunts. She seems happy to include John as part of their hunting party and friend group. Her actress Nida Khurshid described her as being book smart and “braver than she thinks,” telling fans that Latika finding her confidence will be a major part of her arc.
Nida Khurshid played Farah Nejem in the series Adversity and played Hima in the series Station 19. She was also on Disney Television Discovers Talent Showcase in 2021.
Jojo Fleites as Carlos Cervantez
Carlos is another young hunter in their group, although far more confident than Latika. Carlos has been hunting for most of his life and is a seasoned pro. Despite this, his actor Jojo Fleites explains that he is still relaxed and laid back most of the time and even had time to become a skilled guitar player.
Carlos is played by Jojo Fleites. This is Fleites’ first major screen role though they have significant stage experience, having been in theater for years and even winning National Young Arts in theater in 2015. Their theater skills should serve them well when playing the musically inclined Carlos.
We’re looking forward to seeing what the first season of The Winchesters brings and what they do with the huge amount of musical talent in their cast. While Kansas’s “Carry On Wayward Son” didn’t come out until 1976, there are still plenty of classic rock songs a show set in 1972 can take advantage of. We’re looking forward to seeing these characters in action on October 11th.
