Justin Hartley has officially confirmed that Jensen Ackles will be returning for season 4 of Tracker. The actor revealed details of Ackles' return during Televerse 26, the Television Academy's annual Television festival.
According to TVLine, production for the new season starts in a few days.
Tracker follows lone wolf Colter Shaw, a survivalist who has made it his mission to locate missing persons. He relies on both instincts and years of training to help solve crimes and is supported by his friends, lawyer Reenie, and tech expert Randy. Along the way, Colter must reconcile with his past and uncover hard truths that have been buried for a long time.
In Tracker, Ackles plays Russell Shaw, the formerly estranged older brother of Colter Shaw. The actor has appeared in six episodes throughout the first 3 seasons of the show. The last time we saw the character, he'd successfully helped Colter rescue children involved in a secret government project.
Russell then tracks down the man behind the program, who offers him a deal. However, it's unclear what Russell decides as the season ends with that as the cliffhanger.
In a video posted by a fan on social media, Hartley shared his excitement for Ackles' return in season 4 and the continuation of his storyline from season 3.
"What he brings to the show is pretty extraordinary," the actor said. "He has this incredible work ethic, charm, charisma, and talent. Wonderful. And everybody knows that."
When asked to give details on Ackles' arc for season 4, Hartley shared, "I thought it was really cool what we did last season. We left him in a place where he was doing something for Colter — keeping a secret from him, but for Colter’s own good. He took one for the team. Quid pro quo: I’ll do this for you… just keep him out of it. He doesn’t need to know any of this. It’s to protect him.”
But things won't be all sunshine and rainbows when Russell returns. "When we find him this season… he’s coming back. He needs a favor from Colter and from his skill set," Hartley revealed. "So the two brothers work together to solve this problem that Russell’s found himself in — and one of his friends, too."
Season 4 of Tracker is scheduled to premiere on CBS on Oct. 4, 2026. The first three seasons of Tracker are available to stream on Paramount+ and Hulu.
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