CW has ordered the first episode of a Walker Texas Ranger series, which is set to explore the fates of Chuck Norris and Jared Padalecki’s character ancestors.
Unmissable appointment for many, Walker Texas Ranger hosted Sunday afternoons in many French homes between 1995 and 2003. The series, starring Chuck Norris, followed the adventures of a Texas Rangers team in Dallas. It is run by Cordell Walker, a martial arts champion who defends American values with his Stetson and cowboy boots. A monument of the small screen which is part of the legend thanks to its credits, to the sound of “Eye of the Rangers”and especially thanks to its main actor.
27 years later, the universe offers itself a resurrection under the direction of CW. The American chain launched last year Walker, reboot of the original work. To embody the main character, the channel recruits an actor it knows well: Jared Padalecki. The latter indeed officiated for 15 seasons in supernaturalwhich also aired on The CW.
While season 2 is currently airing in the United States, CW is already working on a new spin-off series. This plot should this time transport us to the heart of the 1800s, alongside the Cordell Walker ancestors. We will follow Abby Walker, who flees to Independence, Texas after witnessing the death of her husband during their trip to the West. She bumps into Hoyt Rawlins as she tries to get revenge. Both will struggle to navigate the goofy inhabitants of the small town where everyone seeks to escape its troubled past. A western-style story that should contrast with the tone of the original series, without denying its roots.
According to The Wrap, the first episode has already been ordered. The project will be called Walker: Independence and written by Anna Fricke and Seamus Fahey. The two screenwriters should have no trouble exploring this new universe, since they are already working on writing Walker.
One last before the sale?
In January, CW announced that Warner Media intended to part ways with the channel. The house of Supernatural and the Arrowverse is looking for a buyer, so it’s hard to know what the future holds. Nevertheless, its CEO wanted to reassure his teams by announcing that CW would continue to offer “more original programming than ever”.
It remains to be seen what will become of all these projects in development, once the chain has changed ownership. Especially since now, his longtime partner DC seems to be betting on HBO Max to bring the adventures of his paper characters to the screen.
