‘Supernatural‘ Nearly Veered into a Vampire Narrative That Creator Eric Kripke Believes Would Have “Destroyed” the Series
Los Angeles, California – September 5, 2025 – A previously considered storyline involving vampires nearly derailed the trajectory of the long-running CW series Supernatural, according to creator Eric Kripke. The proposed arc, which would have fundamentally altered the core dynamic between brothers Sam and Dean Winchester, was ultimately rejected due to its potential to dismantle the showS established mythology and emotional foundation.
kripke revealed in a recent discussion that early in the series’ development,a pitch centered around revealing Sam and Dean as descendants of a powerful vampire lineage was seriously entertained. This storyline would have positioned the brothers as possessing unique vampire abilities and grappling with an inherent darkness,dramatically shifting their roles from hunters of monsters to something far more complex and perhaps villainous. Kripke stated the concept would have “destroyed” supernatural, fundamentally changing the essence of the show.
The proposed narrative shift stemmed from network executives seeking a way to introduce a more conventional, ongoing villain arc akin to those found in other popular fantasy dramas. Though, Kripke resisted, arguing that such a change would betray the show’s central themes of family, free will, and the fight against predetermined destiny. He believed transforming the Winchesters into vampires would undermine the audience’s investment in their heroic journey and the moral ambiguity that defined their monster hunting.
“The whole show was about these guys fighting against their fate,” Kripke explained.”If they where monsters, if that was in their blood, it just… it took away all the stakes.”
Instead, Supernatural continued its fifteen-season run focusing on a diverse range of monsters, angels, demons, and the overarching battle against cosmic forces, maintaining the brothers’ roles as human hunters grappling with extraordinary circumstances. The series concluded on November 19, 2020, after 327 episodes.
