There May Never Be a Supernatural Spin-Off, Says CW Boss

Stop me if you've heard this one before: Supernaturalwill continue to run until series stars Jared Padalecki and Jensen Ackles no longer want to play the Winchester brothers. CW President Mark Pedowitz confirmed the news, as he has many times before, at the Television Critics Association summer press tour on Monday.

Though Supernatural, which will film its 300th episode this season, is one of the network's most successful series, ithas failed twice in its attempts to launch a spin-off: the Romeo and Juliet-inspired Bloodlines, in Season 9, and last season's female-driven Wayward Sisters.

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"We were very happy with the women who did the Wayward Sisters spin-off. We had only a certain number of slots, and it just didn't get there," Pedowitz says of the decision to not pick up Wayward this fall. "If [the producers] have a great idea they want to move forward with, we are open to listen."

However, after the two failed attempts, Pedowitz admitted that Supernatural owes much of its popularity to the chemistry between Ackles and Padalecki -- something that can't be replicated in a spin-off that doesn't star them.

"It is a great franchise, [but] Supernatural may be just Jared and Jensen, and there may not be a franchise beyond that," he said.

The boys have centered the series for 13 years now, and even though they've requested a slightly shorter season than normal, they are still committed to doing the show. Monday's comments mark the first that Pedowitz has admitted that when the stars are ready to hang up the Winchester boots, it's likely the CW will continue without a Supernatural entity on its schedule.

Supernatural returns for Season 14 on Thursday, Oct. 11 at 8/7c.

(Disclosure: TV Guide is owned by CBS, one of The CW's parent companies)