Gil McKinney Will Reprise His Supernatural Role On The Winchesters

To carry on the legacy of the highly-popular "Supernatural," The CW will take fans back to a time long before Sam (Jared Padalecki) and Dean Winchester (Jensen Ackles) took to the streets in their 1967 Chevrolet Impala with plans to rid the world of evil. Titled "The Winchesters," the show follows John Winchester (Drake Rodger) and Mary Campbell (Meg Donnelly) — Sam and Dean's parents — as they embark on the quest of a lifetime to unearth long-hidden secrets about their families. Naturally, the two will spark up a fateful romance along the way.

As a "Supernatural" prequel, it should come as no surprise that "The Winchesters" will look quite different from the longtime CW staple. That includes featuring a host of brand-new characters and telling stories fans haven't even heard of before. Although, that's not to say that the program will go way out of its way to distance itself from its historic predecessor. After all, Jensen Ackles will narrate the series as Dean, and according to producer Robbie Thompson, more than a few "Supernatural" favorites are likely to pop up in the future. 

Sure enough, Thompson's tease is already coming true since it has come to light that actor Gil McKinney will return to the "Supernatural" franchise via "The Winchesters."

In an October 13, 2022 report from TV Line, the world learned that Gil McKinney will appear on "The Winchesters" as Henry Winchester: John's father and Sam and Dean's grandfather who spent time as a member of the mysterious yet significant Men of Letters organization. Technically, McKinney has already played the character on "The Winchesters," though it was only in a voiceover capacity. The publication notes that McKinney's Henry will appear in the flesh during the seventh episode of Season 1. It stands to reason this will be no problem for McKinney, seeing as he's got a fair amount of experience with the part under his belt already.

Gil McKinney's first turn as Henry Winchester came in "Supernatural" Season 8, specifically the episode "As Time Goes By." Via time travel, he convenes with Sam and Dean and alerts them to the fact that dark forces are after him in pursuit of a music box containing all kinds of powerful spells and scrolls. Following his time travel shenanigans, McKinney's version of Henry wouldn't reemerge until the Season 9 episode "Mother's Little Helper." This time around, he doesn't leap into the present to chat with his grandsons. Rather, he appears in a couple of flashbacks where he combats the demonic Abaddon.

Gil McKinney hasn't disappointed as Henry Winchester so far, so he'll more than likely impress once again when he returns to the character fully on "The Winchesters."