While Taylor Sheridan’s TV universe is currently going strong with Paramount+’s epic period western 1883, viewers are now currently in the familiar glut between pulse-pounding seasons of Yellowstone. Season 4 closed out its world-building and world-breaking storylines just after the turn of the new year, and I can already feel the pangs of hunger starting to settle in. (Where’s Gator with breakfast and/or dinner?) One big question in the back of worrisome fans’ minds is whether or not we’ll have to go through the same kind of Droughtlander-esque wait that occurred between the third and fourth seasons, but producer David Glasser offered a tentatively soothing update that implies the between-season hiatus will be back to average-length.
Following the awesome news that Yellowstone landed its first Screen Actors Guild Awards nomination for Drama Series Ensemble, 101 Studios CEO David Glasser talked to Variety about the vengeance-filled drama’s trend-bucking rise in popularity with each year that passes. While also offering production-based updates on 1883 and the impending second spinoff 6666, Glasser also confirmed that, presumably barring any major setbacks, Season 5 of Yellowstone will get back to filming at some point in May, with the premiere episode to drop in the fall. Huzzah!
While the Paramount Network hit seems to have completely ditched its previous summer release pattern — a partial shame, given the general lack of primetime competition — at least we don’t immediately need to plan on Yellowstone making another seasonal jump to a Winter 2023 debut. Glasser offered more encouraging words for anyone hoping Taylor Sheridan keeps the narrative going for years longer, saying:
It’s the prime of the show. I think the show is still maturing, and there’s still a lot of story to tell. I know with Taylor, he’s got a lot to say and a lot to write. He’s deep into Season 5 of ‘Yellowstone’ now. He’s got some incredible ideas that he shared that I think audiences are going to be really excited about.
Considering Taylor Sheridan is a total workhorse — 15% pun intended — I have no doubt he’ll have at least the Season 5 scripts locked down and ready to go by the time May arrives, probably with a lengthy outline for where Season 6 could go. Sheridan has stated he doesn’t see Yellowstone going as long as nine seasons, but also doesn’t see any reason to put the brakes on the Dutton family’s struggles just yet.
Of course, he also has a bunch of other shows in the works, thanks in part to a mega-deal he signed with ViacomCBS, and it seems like by the time Yellowstone does end, one in five shows on TV and streaming will be at least co-created by Sheridan. Still, I can't imagine he'll let anything get fully in the way of focusing on the show that made it all happen.
Given that Season 4 laid the groundwork for the 6666 spinoff, fans may be able to anticipate that Jefferson White-fronted series to make its debut ahead of the flagship’s fifth season in the fall. According to David Glasser, not only is 1883 set to fully wrap its seven-month production on Saturday, January 15, but the Four Sixes-set offshoot is apparently in the thick of filming, which is a good sign that it could be finished in time for a summer premiere. I wouldn’t be too surprised if casting news starts to break for that show, and we can see who will be joining White and Kathryn Kelly in the new series.
So while there’s always the unblessed chance that COVID-related delays will put a dent in the plans for Yellowstone Season 5, fans can currently keep the fall in mind for when we’ll see how hellish John and Beth’s new plans for Jamie will be. While waiting for more updates, head to our 2022 TV premiere schedule to see what else is on the horizon!
