Variety reports that Eric Kripke, creator and executive producer for The CW's horror drama Supernatural, has signed an exclusive two year development deal with Warner Brothers Television. Under the deal terms, Kripke will continue to be showrunner for Supernatural, which will head into its fourth season in the Fall. He will also start to develop other projects. There is speculation that one could be Supernatural-related; Eric Kripke has talked about wanting to do a prequel set in the old west.

In other show news, TV Guide spoke with Eric Kripke, who says actress Katie Cassidy won't be returning as Ruby the demon in season 4 after all due entirely to budgetary reasons. Eric Kripke had previously expressed his enthusiasm for the character as portrayed by Cassidy. The show already cut the other of the two recurring female characters added to season 3, the mercenary Bela (portrayed by Lauren Cohan), due to both budget and the showrunners agreeing with many fans that the character didn't work. However, there was expectation that Katie Cassidy's character would stay.

In season 3, Ruby was a foil for Sam Winchester (Jared Padalecki), offering to help him save his brother Dean (Jensen Ackles) from going to hell. The season ended on a cliffhanger with Dean in hell and Ruby's fate uncertain.

It actually isn't clear if the character of Ruby will return, inhabiting other actors. The show previously did this with the character of the demon known as Meg (Nikki Aycox in season 1). Kripke told TV Guide there will be female characters in season 4, of the more one-shot variety. “We have a plan that’s as exciting as any we’ve ever had of how to thread new characters in some unexpected ways." He also said that season 4 begins with “bombshells that will set the show off in a new direction.”

Sources:
TVGuide.com
Variety
Starpulse