Ackles discusses 'Supernatural' season five

Supernatural star Jensen Ackles has given fans a hint of what to expect in the drama's forthcoming season.

The CW show's fourth cycle ended with brothers Sam (Jared Padalecki) and Dean (Ackles) inadvertently breaking the final seal to release Lucifer, setting up a war between Heaven and Hell.

Speaking to E! News, Ackles said: "I think it's going to be more of this big, gigantic thing going on and we're stuck in the middle.

"I don't think we're necessarily going to be the focal point of anybody's hunt. We're going to lend whatever help we can to Castiel [Misha Collins] and the angels to do their job. But what that is, I don't know."

He went on to say that viewers will also see Sam coping with his addiction to demon blood, explaining: "[It] is still coursing through his veins, and he's got that to deal with.

"The season finale ended with the big, giant realisation that he was being duped into becoming what he didn't want to be. So now he's got to deal with that and try to get back to neutral."

Ackles also played down speculation that he is open to filming a sixth season, saying: "We basically just said that our contracts were for six years...as it looks right now, it won't [happen]."

Production on Supernatural season five is scheduled to begin on July 2.