The Yellowstone franchise has officially split into two distinct, present-day sequels following the conclusion of the flagship series. Rather than keeping the family together in Montana, the universe has branched out to follow the surviving Dutton siblings on their own separate paths… but does that mean they will stay separate forever? According to some of the cast… the jury is still out.
Currently airing on CBS, Marshals is a gritty, action-heavy procedural that focuses on the youngest Dutton son, Kayce. Following the death of his wife, Monica, Kayce leaves the family’s Montana ranch life behind to revisit his Navy SEAL skillset and join a U.S. Marshals team. The show trades land disputes for manhunts, paramilitary assaults, and high-stakes law enforcement operations. It feels much more like a tactical crime drama than a traditional Western, heavily exploring Kayce’s military past and his struggles with trauma. It’s not written by Taylor Sheridan, and it’s made for CBS, so it definitely has a much different vibe… die-hard Yellowstone fans have mixed reviews.
And on the other hand, Dutton Ranch finds Beth Dutton and Rip Wheeler trying to start their lives over on a quiet ranch in Texas. Adoptive son, Carter, joins them as they pack up and move to Rio Paloma, South Texas, and buy a 7,000-acre property. Of course, peace can only last for so long when the Duttons are around, so despite the goals of its characters, this series is said to retain that classic Yellowstone DNA. We’re talking about land grabs, family drama, and brutal corporate ranching warfare…. and a heavy dose of violence and death for good measure. Some connected to the show have even called it Yellowstone Season 6 so it should feel much more like a true sequel series.
All that said, is there a chance that these two modern day spinoffs can crossover? Maybe.
In a new deep dive with Yellowstone and Dutton Ranch stars, Kelly Reilly and Cole Hauser (Beth Dutton and Rip Wheeler), Reilly was asked if there was any chance that her brother Kayce (played by Luke Grimes) could show up on Dutton Ranch for a Marshals crossover.
And while she confessed that there hasn’t been one yet, she isn’t ruling it out:
“I’m so proud of Luke, and we love him so much, and I miss him. wish we had a crossover. Maybe we will in the future.”
And while Taylor Sheridan is still the mastermind behind the series and its spinoffs, Kelly and Cole are both executive producers on this next chapter, which mean, in theory, they may have more pull to make that happen. And according to Cole, it’s a responsibility they take very seriously:
“It was more responsibility, to be quite honest, which I think Kelly and I took on and enjoyed, for the most part. We put a lot of work into the continuation of the show with Christina Alexandra Voros, with Chad Feehan and everybody else that was part of it.”
Kelly Reilly adds:
“We’ve lived with these characters. It doesn’t mean we know everything about them, but there was a handing over the reins to us, to a certain extent, which lends us to find our own voice and opinion about them and where they are now. So we feel a responsibility to honor them and bring them forward. Taylor Sheridan is one of the best writers in this country right now, and we are his characters. He’s always in our minds as we’re making this, and they are big boots to fill. It’s because of him that we’re here.”
Granted, I would say that the odds of a Kayce Dutton crossover with Dutton Ranch are slim, but as they say in Hollywood… never say never. And with Cole and Kelly taking on a larger role in the production of the show, I’d say the odds are slightly higher.
I guess we’ll find out…
Set to premiere on May 15th on Paramount+, Dutton Ranch will feature Kelly Reilly’s Beth Dutton and Cole Hauser’s Rip Wheeler, as well as Finn Little, who is returning to play his character Carter in the series. As for the rest of the cast, A-list actress Annette Bening will be joining the Yellowstone universe, and she’ll be playing a powerful owner of a major Texas ranch named Beulah Jackson. Ed Harris will take on the role as Everett McKinney, an old school veterinarian, and there will also be the addition of Jai Courtney, an Australian actor (known for his roles in The Suicide Squad and The Terminal List) who will be playing an “unpredictable ranch foreman” whose name is “Rob-Will.” Country singer Morgan Wade will also play a role in the new spinoff.
And from the brand new trailer, it looks like Dutton Ranch is going to bring more of the same tension that we saw in Yellowstone. Granted, Beth and Rip are in Texas, and perhaps looking for a quieter life to settle down, but that doesn’t mean that big money and powerful people won’t stand in their way.
Check it out:
