Taylor Sheridan, the man behind the Yellowstone curtain, is revealing all. The typically low-key franchise creator talked the upcoming Yellowstone series finale—and whether Kevin Costner's John Dutton will appear in the last batch of episodes—in a wide-ranging June 21 interview with The Hollywood Reporter.
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Sheridan also dished on the Matthew McConaughey spinoff, a round of fresh prequels and which previously-announced series have been put on the back burner. Here's the latest on the rapidly-evolving Dutton-verse:
There Will Be 3-4 New Yellowstone Prequel Series
1883 (Emerson Miller/Paramount+)
Sheridan is planning to announce a few new Yellowstone prequel series for Paramount+, in the style of 1883 and the Harrison Ford and Helen Mirren-led 1923 (which is getting a second season). "As long as I do my job well and people don't bore of the genre, I think there will be enough for many more [prequels] — three or four," Sheridan told THR.
Last year, there were rumblings that the Dutton-verse would expand with a Yellowstone: 1944 and 1960s-set series. Given Sheridan's recent comments on moving the dynastic saga into the "modern era," a few mid-to-late-1900s prequels seem likely:
"[The prequels are] time capsules of life in Montana as a microcosm of the world as a whole. They're big spectacles, and the more that you move into the modern era, the bigger that spectacle becomes."
Yellowstone Cast Probably Won't Return for Matthew McConaughey Spinoff
Matthew McConaughey (Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic)
In less welcome news, Sheridan hinted that the previously-announced Yellowstone sequel series will likely not feature returning cast members. Matthew McConaughey is in late-stage talks to star, but the Texas native may not be joined by any O.G. Duttons. Instead, the show will be a stand-alone story with a new cast, much like Sheridan's prequels.
"My idea of a spinoff is the same as my idea of a prequel. Read into that what you will," the creator said of bringing back the Yellowstone cast.
How do we live in a world without Cole Hauser and Kelly Reilly? (Somewhere, renowned Rip and Beth stan Jennifer Lopez is throwing glassware against the wall.)
Yellowstone Season 5, Part 2 Could Be 10 Episodes
Yellowstone Season 5 (Paramount)
On the bright side, Sheridan isn't skimping on Yellowstone's imminent end. He may churn out a whopping 10 episodes to finish out Season 5, Part 2, as opposed to the originally-planned 6 episodes. "If I think it takes 10 episodes to wrap it up, they'll give me 10," he told the outlet. "It'll be as long as it needs to be."
Sheridan is "disappointed" to turn the page on Kevin Costner's John Dutton. What's more, the leading man may not even appear in Yellowstone Season 5, Part 2, with The Hollywood Reporter writing, "There are ongoing discussions to try to convince Costner to film a few scenes to wrap his character."
There's no telling when the last batch of Yellowstone episodes will air (filming won't begin anytime soon, due to the writers' strike), and ending the show without John Dutton front-and-center is a startling prospect. Either way, a supersized series finale is just what the doctor ordered.
The Four Sixes Spinoff Series Is Delayed
The Four Sixes Ranch (Chas. S. Middleton & Son via YouTube)
The previously-announced Four Sixes Yellowstone spinoff is currently on hold, Sheridan revealed, because, well, he owns the place now. Sheridan bought the historic Texas ranch last year for a whopping $350 million, and he's been drumming up Yellowstone spinoffs to fund the purchase: "I do the shows for the ranch."
The Yellowstone: 6666 spinoff will be filmed at the Four Sixes, just as it's served as a location on Yellowstone. It's a fully operational horse and cattle ranch, and Sheridan won't impact the business by rushing out the series.
"[The Four Sixes spinoff series], for a number of reasons, needs a unique level of special care because this is a real place with real families working here. You have to respect the lineage. I've told [the studio] to be patient."
1923 Season 2 Is Delayed
Harrison Ford in 1923 (Emerson Miller/Paramount+)
The previously-announced 1923 Season 2 is still happening, with the entire main cast slated to return. But filming has been "delayed indefinitely" due to the ongoing writers' strike. Don't expect to see the ancestral Duttons until at least 2024.
