has made a name for himself as a massive television star. He gained recognition on the Jessica Alba cult-classic Dark Angel and in Smallville season 4 as a series regular. However, Ackles' most prominent role was as Dean Winchester on the series Supernatural for a staggering 15 seasons, running from 2005-2020. He would reprise his role as Dean on the short-lived The Winchesters where he also served as an executive producer.

Ackles has remained a mainstay on television, appearing in The Boys and its spinoff Gen V as Soldier Boy. He will return in The Boys season 5, where he will be reunited with his Supernatural co-star Jared Padalecki. Coming to Prime Video on June 25, Ackles is starring in a new thriller series that he compares to one of the greatest action movies of all time.

Ackles will star in on Prime Video. He plays Mark Meachum, an LAPD detective who is brought in to join a covert task force to help catch a murderer. However, the stakes become higher when and stop a weapon of mass destruction. The cast of Countdown also includes Jessica Camacho (Sleepy Hollow), Eric Dane (Grey's Anatomy), Violett Beane (The Flash), Uli Latukefu (Alien: Covenant), and Elliot Knight (Titans).

In an interview with Collider, . He details that he joined the series in part because of how its stakes, action, and humor all reminded him of the Bruce Willis classic. He also draws a connection to Lethal Weapon and The A-Team. All three properties he mentioned began in the 1980s, and have existed in some form long after their initial debuts. He explains that showrunner, Derak Haas, is the primary reason he joined the series, praising his work. Check out his quote below:

It checked a lot of boxes of things I just generally gravitate towards. High stakes, action-packed. There's humor. It reminds me of all these movies and shows that I grew up watching, like Lethal Weapon, A-Team, Die Hard. It had that throwback feel to it that I was really excited about. But most importantly, it was Derek [Haas]. It was meeting him, getting to know him, and wanting to take a journey with him. It's been wonderful.

Die Hard is often used as a comparison to other projects, for example, describing Speed as "Die Hard on a bus." What makes Ackles' comments interesting is how he, but the surrounding elements. What made Die Hard a success was more than just trapping John McClane inside Nakatomi Plaza, but the combination of humor, action, and an all-around tight script.

Having all of his points of reference be from popular 80s franchises gives a sense of what the vibe of the show will be. While all had high stakes, they were also all designed to be fun to watch. While many modern crime thrillers can be very serious, it looks like will be taking a lighter approach.

Source: Collider