‘Yellowstone’ and What We Know About the Spinoffs

2 weeks ago 15

Though the Paramount Network hit may be ending, Taylor Sheridan's franchise continues to expand.

Published on December 10, 2024

The Kevin Costner-led Yellowstone will end with its fifth season as the star pursues other projects.

Yellowstone as we know it is readying to gallop off into the sunset. But even though the flagship series formerly starring Kevin Costner may be taking its final ride with season 5B, the Yellowstone universe remains very much alive and kicking.

Following the success of prequel series 1883, Yellowstone-verse mastermind Taylor Sheridan continued to travel back in time on the Dutton family tree and launched 1923, which is set to return with its second season on Feb. 23.

Though Hollywood’s dual writer and actor strikes halted productions in 2023 — including both Yellowstone and 1923 — once the strikes ended and work resumed, Paramount Network revealed that not only were the Dutton sagas back on track, but that the franchise would be expanding with (at least) two more spinoffs.

Below, The Hollywood Reporter is rounding up all of the series in the Yellowstone-verse as details come available. (This story originally posted Jan. 14 and is updated as more information is available.)

Yellowstone (5 seasons; maybe a 6th)

Image Credit: Courtesy of Paramount Network

The Paramount Network flagship series that started it all began in 2018. The second half of its fifth season (season 5B) was announced as the final season, with the six-episode season’s finale airing on Dec. 15.

The formerly Kevin Costner-led cattle ranch family saga has continuously grown its audience, with the premiere of part one of season five breaking ratings records and earning the biggest overnight launch for the series. Yellowstone‘s record-setting return has continued to pull in big audiences heading into the finale.

After star Costner was embroiled in a standoff over his filming schedule, which delayed production, Paramount Network announced that the megahit series would end with season five. After many months of speculation, Costner finally confirmed over the summer that he had indeed departed the series. Viewers had to tune in to see how Sheridan wrote him off the series, given the cliffhanger ending of the midseason 5A finale.

Kelly Reilly and Cole Hauser, Wes Bentley, Luke Grimes and Kelsey Asbille star as the main Dutton family left to pick up the pieces. After season 5B was announced as the final run, a possible sixth season with Reilly and Hauser, who play fan-favorites Beth Dutton and Rip, has been in talks, but not yet confirmed.

Because of a licensing deal that pre-dated the Viacom-CBS merger, Yellowstone has streamed exclusively on NBCUniversal-backed Peacock (and isn’t available on Paramount+ like the prequels are; see how to watch the series here).
1883 (1 season)

Image Credit: Paramount+

In December 2021, 1883 launched first on Paramount+ before getting a full-season run on Paramount Network that summer. The prequel series to Yellowstone was narrated by star Isabel May and followed her and co-stars Sam Elliott, Faith Hill and Tim McGraw on a 19th-century wagon trail in their epic, cross-country journey before settling what would become the Yellowstone Ranch seen in the flagship series.

The Paramount+ series was such a hit out of the gate that the network ordered more episodes for the limited series and sparked the franchise’s expansion into 1923 (more on that below). After it had already been available to stream on Paramount+ for a year, the Paramount Network telecast drew just under 5 million viewers following an episode of Yellowstone and set a premiere record for the channel. Paramount Network also launched a linear, weekly rerelease in June 2023 amid the dual strikes.
1923 (2 seasons)

Image Credit: Emerson Miller/Paramount+

Picking up decades after 1883 left off, the second Yellowstone prequel series, 1923, traced more Dutton lineage to the elder Duttons played by Harrison Ford and Helen Mirren.

Creator Sheridan explained of his decision to jump the series to the year 1923: “I chose that moment in time to peek back in because you’re seeing the children that we’ve met in 1883 attempting to raise another generation of Dutton.” The first season ended on a cliffhanger focused around the emerging main character of the series played by Brandon Sklenar and was quickly renewed for a second season. The early 20th century drama’s premiere became the most-watched series premiere on cable in 2022.

Season two is returning two years after its season one finale when it releases Feb. 23 on Paramount+. Here’s the logline for the return of 1923: “A cruel winter brings new challenges and unfinished business to Jacob (Ford) and Cara (Mirren) back at Dutton ranch. With harsh conditions and adversaries threatening to end the Dutton legacy, Spencer (Sklenar) embarks on an arduous journey home, racing against time to save his family in Montana. Meanwhile, Alexandra (Julia Schlaepfer) sets off on her own harrowing trans-Atlantic journey to find Spencer and reclaim their love.”
The Madison (formerly 2024; 1 season ordered)

Image Credit: Marilla Sicilia/Archivio Marilla Sicilia/Mondadori Portfolio via Getty Images

When confirming the end of Yellowstone, Paramount Network had set the wheels in motion for two more spinoffs. One was the first-ever Yellowstone sequel, which had the working title 2024. The present-day story would take place after the events of Yellowstone. It was given a straight-to-series order and will stream on Paramount+ (a premiere date has yet to be set). The series will continue exploring the Dutton family dynasty with new characters and locations, as well as some existing characters.

Matthew McConaughey was initially in talks to star in the series, widely reported when the Costner standoff began. However, a deal was never announced.

Now, this series has taken shape and has been re-titled to The Madison and will star Michelle Pfeiffer. The Oscar-nominated movie star will also executive produce the sequel series from franchise boss Sheridan, and The Madison will be the next show to roll out in the Yellowstone universe.

The Madison is described as a heartfelt study of grief and human connection following a New York City family in the Madison River valley of central Montana.

Lost alum Matthew Fox, Suits star Patrick J. Adams, TV newcomer Elle Chapman and Firefly Lane star Beau Garrett have all been added to the cast, along with Y: The Last Man‘s Ben Schnetzer and Amiah Miller.
1944 (1 season ordered)

Image Credit: Emerson Miller/Paramount+

The second spinoff that was announced is another prequel, set in 1944, that will follow in the footsteps of 1883 and 1923. Details around this series are scarce. Sheridan, who co-created Yellowstone with John Linson and is the showrunner for the franchise, told The Hollywood Reporter in a June cover story that he had several prequel ideas brewing, though 1944 is the first to get a green light.

As with the previous series, the spinoffs will be produced by MTV Entertainment Studios and 101 Studios.
6666 (on hold)

Sheridan announced that the 6666 spinoff series that had been set to star Yellowstone actor Jefferson White (Jimmy) is on hold given Sheridan’s purchase of the property where the show would be filmed, the Four Sixes ranch in Texas. (The Montana ranch in Yellowstone is fictional, but the Four Sixes ranch, featured as the 6666 Ranch in the series, is real.) “That, for a number of reasons, needs a unique level of special care because this is a real place with real families working here,” he explained in THR‘s cover story. “You have to respect the lineage. I’ve told [the studio] to be patient.”

Sheridan owns and operates two Texas ranches, also including Bosque Ranch. He also recently opened the Four Sixes Ranch Steakhouse in Las Vegas featuring his Four Sixes Ranch Beef.

Read more:

‘Yellowstone’ and the Sprawling Dutton Family Tree, Explained

The End of ‘Yellowstone’: What Is Known About the Final Episodes

Taylor Sheridan Does Whatever He Wants: “I Will Tell My Stories My Way”