The Paramount TV show that swept across the nation when it was released in 2018 and continues to pull in massive ratings will reportedly wrap up with its upcoming fifth season.
Multiple sources have told the New York Post that the Kevin Costner led show, Yellowstone, will complete its groundbreaking run following the second half of Season 5. It is believed that a “well-placed production source” with connections to the show and its show runner, Taylor Sheridan, is the one who has broke the news to the New York Post.
Filming has yet to begin on what is now being reported as the finale season due to claims of tension and conflict between Costner (who plays the Montana ranch patriarch John Dutton) and the show’s creator Taylor Sheridan.
Rumors have even gone as far to say that Costner might not even return to reprise his role as the lead character.
According to Insider, Paramount Network exec Keith Cox made an appearance at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles, California for PaleyFest this past weekend where he gave some positive news about Costner’s return.
Cox said:
“What I can say is our star, the face of our show, and executive producer, are very confident he is going to continue with our show.”
The source that spoke to the New York Post had this to say:
“Hopefully, Kevin will return for the remaining episodes, if everyone works together, but it looks like ‘Yellowstone’ will end after this season.”
Many believe that ego has been the main culprit in the delay of the hit television show.
Over 12 million fans tuned in for the season premiere of the first half of Season 5 back in November, but with production yet to start on the second half, fans are left waiting (and now maybe even hoping) for the culmination of the “Yellowstone” story.
However, the source did leave a hint of hope with another quote that was given to the New York Post:
“We’re hoping it will be worked out. It’s too big a show for things not to be worked out.”
Yellowstone has undoubtedly been the biggest hit for Paramount and the Peacock streaming platform. The main show has inspired more than a couple of spin-off shows, including the 1883 and 1923 prequels, and it was announced recently that Matthew McConaughey has signed on to continue the storyline in some way with an additional Yellowstone spin-off.
It’s rumored that he’ll take on the lead role in the highly-anticipated 6666’s Ranch spinoff, but it is not confirmed.
As great as the “extra” stories in the Yellowstone universe has been, none have been greater than the show’s original story. Fans are now left to hope that Costner, who won a Golden Globe for his role, will at least return to finish out the show’s run.
It is believed that tensions began to rise between Costner and show runner Taylor Sheridan shortly after the Mid-Season 5 break.
Matthew McConaughey To Star In Upcoming ‘Yellowstone’ Spinoff Series
It has pretty much been all crickets since we heard the news that Kevin Costner could possibly be leaving Yellowstone, due to scheduling conflicts for the filming of the second half of Season 5.
Costner allegedly requested only one week to film the remainder of Season 5 due to his busy schedule with his new western film Horizon in the works, causing uncertainty about the future of the show.
If Yellowstone is to go on as scheduled, then it appears we won’t be getting the Season 5: Part 2 premier until at least November, much later than the initially promised summer premier.
Of course, Costner’s attorney Marty Singer denied these allegations, telling Puck News:
“The idea that Kevin was only willing to work one week on the second half of season 5 of Yellowstone is an absolute lie. It’s ridiculous, and anyone suggesting it shouldn’t be believed for one second.
As everyone who knows anything about Kevin is well aware, he is incredibly passionate about the show and has always gone way above and beyond to ensure its success.”
However, amid the Costner and Yellowstone drama, rumors have swirled that there could be a spinoff series in the works starring Matthew McConaughey, along with much of the original cast.
With that being said, those rumors have been confirmed today by Chris McCarthy, the head of Paramount Media Networks.
He shared the news with The Hollywood Reporter.
Although he doesn’t have any updates on the Costner situation, he said that the show:
“Wouldn’t be what it is today without Kevin and we hope that he stays for a long time to come.”
And then he shared the news about McConaughey is lined up to star in a Yellowstone spinoff, which is happening regardless of Costner’s decision, adding yet another show to the universe of Taylor Sheridan.
“Matthew McConaughey is lined up to star in a Yellowstone extension, which will move forward regardless of whether Costner returns to the original. In fact, it’s one of more than 10 projects that McCarthy has with creator Taylor Sheridan.”
LET’S GO.
Of course, the news and details at this point are very minimal, but it’ll be cool to see one of the most well-known actors on the planet starring in a Sheridan original, one that feels long overdue.
If I had to guess, it McConaughey would be starring the highly-anticipated 6666’s Ranch Spinoff that we’ve been promised from Taylor Sheridan and company. And with the storyline of Season 5 sending Rip Wheeler and some of the bunkhouse crew down to Texas… it all but makes perfect sense.
Getting the old band back together, eh?
Stay tuned…
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Yellowstone: 6666
Back in February of 2021, before the insane amount of projects Taylor Sheridan is working on right now was ever revealed, it was announced that a Texas-based spinoff series was in the works, set at the iconic 6666’s Ranch in West, Texas.
The 6666’s Ranch was founded by Samuel “Burk” Burnett in 1870, when he bought 100 head of cattle branded with “6666” on them. These days, the property is a staggering 266,000 acres across three ranches: The 6666, the Frisco Creek and the Dixon Creek.
It was rumored to star Jefferson White as Jimmy Hurdstrom and Ryan Bingham as Walker, but other than that, there wasn’t much detail aside from this synopsis:
“Founded when Comanches still ruled West Texas, no ranch in America is more steeped in the history of the West than the 6666. Still operating as it did two centuries before, and encompassing an entire county, the 6666 is where the rule of law and the laws of nature merge in a place where the most dangerous thing one does is the next thing.
The 6666 is synonymous with the merciless endeavor to raise the finest horses and livestock in the world, and ultimately where world class cowboys are born and made.”
But then, Taylor Sheridan bought the actual ranch…
Taylor Sheridan Acquires The 6666’s Ranch
According to Fort Worth Report, the massive ranch located in Guthrie, Texas, was originally listed for a whopping $340 million, however the most recent listing from Chas S Middleton showed a price of $192,202,200.
A group led by Yellowstone and 1883 creator, Taylor Sheridan, has been confirmed to have made the purchase.
A while back when talks of the purchase first surfaced, Sheridan, who is a Texas rancher himself, commented on what the legacy of the ranch means to him
“I can’t comment on a pending transaction but I will say this: the legacy of the 6666 Ranch and Miss Marion’s vision for the ranch are vital not only to the ranch itself, but the rich heritage of ranching in Texas.
This legacy is so important to me I chose to highlight it in the upcoming season of ‘Yellowstone’ and will continue to further the legacy and preserve its operations in a manner consistent with that great vision.”
Of course, Taylor began filming down at the 6666’s when Jimmy was sent down there to learn how to be a real cowboy, and it became an integral part of Season 4.
He was mostly absent from Season 5, however, during the Season 5 mid-season finale, we went back down to Texas to see catch up with Jimmy and his new fiancée, Emily.
But back in Montana, the Dutton family needs to find somewhere to take their cattle after a Brucellosis outbreak has compromised the land. John gets on the horn with the 6666’s Ranch, meanwhile Beth starts talking with them about online sales.
And as the mid-season finale wraps up, Rip and some of the Bunkhouse crew are headed south to save the herd.
So all of that to say… it sounds like the perfect transition into a 6666’s spinoff without John Dutton, doesn’t it?
Here’s a few reasons why:
1. Jimmy is already there and Season 4 largely set the table for the 6666’s spinoff.
2. Rip and the crew are already headed down that way, to save the herd. And while they may not be headed to the actual 6666’s Ranch in Texas, the new land is somehow connected.
3. Matthew McConaughey is a native Texas so it makes sense that his character would be a Texan as well.
4. John is set to stay back and continue running the State of Montana so it would be easy to leave him out of the next chapter.
5. Paramount Network announced that the 6666’s spinoff would air on Paramount Network as opposed to the previously announced streaming service Paramount+. If Yellowstone goes away, it would make sense that the new series could slot into that television time.
Only time will tell, but if the plan is to end Yellowstone as we know it and continue the story with a new spinoff series starring a large part of the original cast (and McConaughey), the 6666’s spinoff seems like the most obvious way to do it.
And there are probably many more reasons why it makes sense to continue the story down in Texas including financial reasons (they own the property), filming schedules (usually no harsh winters in Texas), logistics (all of Taylor’s horses, which are used in the show, live down there), and more.
We’ll see…
Jefferson White Weighs In
Jefferson White sat down with us on the Whiskey Riff Raff podcast and explained everything he knows about the upcoming spinoff so far.
Here’s what he had to say:
“We filmed those Four Sixes sequences down at the Four Sixes, which is a real life, huge, working cattle ranch… one of the biggest in the country, one of the oldest in the country. After spending four years on the Yellowstone which is a fictional ranch, it was a real eye-opener to go down to the Sixes which is a real life, incredible, sort of goliath, cattle ranch.
As far as the spinoff goes, I don’t think you’ll be surprised that I, Jeff/Jimmy never have any idea what the f*ck is going on, and any time I think I do, Taylor does something better and cooler than I ever could’ve imagined.
All I can say is that I hope… I’m incredibly grateful for the work we’ve gotten to do so far, incredibly proud… all I can say as an actor is job security is very rare and very precious so I wanna play this character as long as they’ll let me.
And we’ll find out together how much longer that is… anytime I think I know what’s best for this character or for this world, Taylor proves me wrong. He knows better than any of us.”
Needless to say, only time will tell, but based on the way we saw Jimmy leave the Yellowstone Ranch at the end of Season 4… it sounds like Jimmy is going to be the star of his own show someday soon.
Stay tuned… with Taylor Sheridan involved, anything is possible.
Listen to the full podcast with Jefferson White, AKA Jimmy Hurdstrom, below:
The podcast is available everywhere. Download the podcast on Apple Podcasts by searching “Whiskey Riff Raff” or click here. We’re also available on Spotify and wherever else you can listen to podcasts.
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If you’re looking for the entire Yellowstone soundtrack, complete through every episode of Season 5, then look no further.
Our Yellowstone: The Soundtrack Playlist, featuring every song from every episode, updated in real time, every Sunday night.
