‘Walker: Independence’, ‘The Winchesters’ & ‘Gotham Knights’ Land Pilot Orders At The CW

The CW has started making pilot orders.

Supernatural prequel The Winchesters, a Walker spinoff and DC universe-set Gotham Knights all have been picked up to pilot.

The move means that both stars of The CW’s Supernatural will be producing pilots for the upcoming season: Jensen Ackles with The Winchesters and Jared Padalecki with Walker: Independence.

The trio of pilot orders is unsurprising – Deadline’s Nellie Andreeva pointed to all three likely making the cut in her Pilot Season 2022 rundown. The network also handed an additional six scripts to the female-fronted Zorro series project.

2022 The CW Pilots & Series Orders

Deadline revealed in June that The Winchesters was in the works at The CW. The drama is centered on Dean and Sam Winchester’s parents – John and Mary – and tells the epic love story of how they met and how they put it all on the line to not only save their love, but the entire world. It will be told through the perspective of narrator Ackles’ Dean Winchester.

Former Supernatural co-EP Robbie Thompson will write and exec produce. Ackles and his wife Danneel Ackles, a former recurring star of Supernatural, will exec produce the pilot, which comes from their banner Chaos Machine Productions in association with Warner Bros. Television and CBS Studios. It marks Chaos Machine’s first pilot order since it struck an overall deal with Warner Bros. TV in 2020.

It marks the third attempt at a Supernatural spinoff after backdoor pilots Bloodlines in 2014 and Wayward Sisters in 2017. Neither project went forward.

Another big series for The CW is Walker, which was an instant breakout when it launched last year and was quickly renewed for a second season.

The spinoff Walker: Independence is set in the late 1800s and follows Abby Walker, an affluent Bostonian whose husband is murdered before her eyes while on their journey out West. On her quest for revenge, Abby crosses paths with Hoyt Rawlins, a lovable rogue in search of purpose. Abby and Hoyt’s journey takes them to Independence, Texas, where they encounter diverse, eclectic residents running from their own troubled pasts and chasing their dreams. Our newfound family will struggle with the changing world around them, while becoming agents of change themselves in a town where nothing is what it seems.

Padalecki exec produces. Seamus Fahey wrote the pilot based on a story by him and Anna Fricke. Both will exec produce with Fricke EPing with Laura Terry via their Pursued By a Bear banner alongside Rideback’s Dan Lin and Lindsey Liberatore. CBS Studios produces.

The western theme is interesting given the recent success of Yellowstone – owned by ViacomCBS, one of The CW’s current owners and the ye-olde-y style of the prequel mirrors that of Yellowstone’s own prequel 1883.

Finally, Gotham Knights comes from Batwoman exec producers Chad Fiveash and James Stoteraux and executive story editor Natalie Abrams.

In the wake of Bruce Wayne’s murder, his rebellious adopted son forges an unlikely alliance with the children of Batman’s enemies when they are all framed for killing the Caped Crusader. And as the city’s most wanted criminals, this renegade band of misfits must fight to clear their names. But in a Gotham with no Dark Knight to protect it, the city descends into the most dangerous it’s ever been. However, hope comes from the most unexpected of places as this team of mismatched fugitives will become its next generation of saviors known as the Gotham Knights.

Written by the trio, it is based on the DC comics characters created by Bob Kane and Bill Finger. Although it is set in Gotham City, it is unrelated to both The CW’s Batwoman, which is in its third season, and the upcoming video game from Warner Bros.

Produced by Berlanti Productions in association with Warner Bros. Television, Fiveash and Stoteraux exec produce alongside Greg Berlanti, Sarah Schechter and David Madden. Abrams is also co-exec producer, while Danny Cannon will direct and exec produce the pilot.