Supernatural Prequel The Winchesters Is Canceled at The CW

It looks like Supernatural prequel The Winchesters won’t even be getting a second season.

IGN has confirmed that neither The Winchesters nor Kung Fu, which ran for three seasons, will be returning to The CW.

“As we reimagine the new CW, we had to make some tough programming decisions,” The CW said in a statement obtained by IGN. “We thank our partners at Warner Bros. and the casts and creative teams of Kung Fu and The Winchesters for all their hard work, creativity and dedication.”

The Winchesters told the story of Sam (Jared Padelecki) and Dean (Jensen Ackles) Winchester’s parents, John (Drake Rodger) and Mary (Meg Donnelly), with Ackles returning as Dean to serve as narrator. The prequel series, announced shortly after Supernatural ended its massive 15-season, 327-episode run ended, premiered last October, but couldn’t quite capitalize on the original’s popularity. 

Kung Fu, meanwhile, focused on Nicky Shen (Olivia Liang), who returns from a life-altering visit to a China monastery to find her hometown overrun with crime and corruption, and uses her martial arts skills and Shaolin values to protect her community. It’s a re-imagining of a 1972 series starring David Carradine but, as IGN’s 7/10 series premiere review pointed out, “has very little in common” with it.

The news comes just days after The CW also canceled Walker spinoff Walker: Independence after one season. According to THR, the moves are an attempt by network owner Nexstar to cut down on cuts from less-profitable scripted seasons, and the fates of Superman & Lois, Gotham Knights, and All American: Homecoming are all currently in limbo.

Alex Stedman is a Senior News Editor with IGN, overseeing entertainment reporting. When she’s not writing or editing, you can find her reading fantasy novels or playing Dungeons & Dragons.