After many months without any major Yellowstone updates, as the midseason chaos reportedly surrounding Kevin Costner and Taylor Sheridan gave way to writer and actor strikes. But now we have a much clearer idea of where the franchise is headed, and what upcoming Yellowstone shows we can start anticipating alongside the final Season 5 episodes, which will officially bring Kevin Costner's portrayal of John Dutton to an end.
That's obviously the good-bordering-on-great news, but not everything comes across as extremely positive. Let's take a look at everything Paramount Network announced!
Yellowstone Season 5B: November 2024
At this point, even with the SAG-AFTRA strike still in place, the plan is now set for Yellowstone's final six episodes to hit Paramount Network in November 2024, nearly two years after the season first came to a midseason halt. Obviously that should be taken with a grain of salt, considering the episodes were originally announced to arrive in Summer 2023, though circumstances beyond the norm obviously played into that.
Considering how eager fans have been to see the family's storylines reach peak intensity — particularly when it comes to Jamie and Beth's increasingly fraught dynamic — having to wait a full-ass year for more episodes is likely going to draw a sizable amount of harsh comments. But despite all that, I have to think that the majority of the fanbase will just be relieved to hear that there will be an actual ending, without contract negotiations (or some other unforseen issue) forcing the show to end without a proper conclusion.
New Spinoff: 1944
The first spinoff to take on an even-numbered year, 1944 will be the next prequel spinoff focusing on a generation of the sprawling Dutton family. It will likely tap into the aftermath of whatever happens in Season 2 of the Harrison Ford-starring 1923, though we probably shouldn't expect ol' Jacob Dutton to still be bouncing around.
Currently, 1944 doesn't have any cast members locked down, though it's likely that will change once the actor strike is resolved. Should we hope for George Clooney or Daniel Day Lewis to sign on? Probably not, but I have to imagine someone on that same tier will be swayed to spend some time in Montana.
New Spinoff: 2024
Yellowstone's first follow-up spinoff was first discussed in earnest around the time when things started getting rocky behind the scenes, and was thought to be a way for the western franchise to continue without Kevin Costner heading things up. This is the project that was confirmed to exist in light of the flagship's final season and reportedly has Matthew McConaughey tapped for a lead role, though the True Detective vet's casting was not confirmed in the announcement.
Here's what Chris McCarthy, the president and CEO of Showtime & MTV Entertainment Studios, had to say about the big news:
On the heels of 1883 and 1923’s success, our new planned spinoffs, 1944 and 2024, will take audiences on a thrilling, new and unexpected journey with the complex and compelling storytelling that has become a hallmark of the franchise and has helped turn it into a worldwide cultural phenomenon – thanks to the creative mastermind of Taylor Sheridan.
All current episodes of Yellowstone can be streamed with a Peacock subscription, and Season 2 will be airing on CBS for the foreseeable future, with the potential for more seasons to follow.
