“Yellowstone” has become one of the most popular and watched television series in recent years thanks to its mix of A-list stars, soap opera-style plot developments and gorgeous vistas of the American West.
But creator – and writer, director and showrunner – Taylor Sheridan wasn't satisfied with just one blockbuster television show.
From the seeds of the sensation starring Kevin Costner, he has created a variety of spin-offs with similarly impressive casts that complete the saga of the Dutton family and their attempt to conquer the American frontier.
The Yellowstone universe returned to the late 19th century with its first spin-off, 1883, depicting the Duttons' doomed journey west, and continued with the next series, 1923, starring Harrison Ford – the recent nominee – skipping decades in Kevin Costner at the Golden Globes – and Helen Mirren as a later generation of Duttons.
Now, as Kevin Costner bids farewell to the flagship series and the fate of Yellowstone and its growing series of spin-offs remains up in the air, takes stock of Sheridan's growing Western empire.
Taylor Sheridan has created a TV empire with his Yellowstone franchise after creating the flagship series starring Kevin Costner
The show has spawned several spin-offs and attracted other A-list stars including Harrison Ford and Helen Mirren; still from 1923
Now, with Costner leaving Yellowstone and the fate of the series and its expanding universe of spin-offs up in the air, takes stock of creator Taylor Sheridan's growing Western empire. pictured in November 2022 in Fort Worth, Texas
Yellowstone – The Original
Kevin Costner plays John Dutton III, the patriarch of the Dutton family, which owns the largest ranch in Montana, the Yellowstone Dutton Ranch
After negotiations to allow him to film his western epic Horizon fell through, Costner left the series halfway through the two-part fifth season, putting the show in jeopardy
The show that started it all.
Kevin Costner plays John Dutton III, the patriarch of the Dutton family, which owns the largest ranch in Montana, the Yellowstone Dutton Ranch.
The privately owned ranch borders the majestic Yellowstone National Park as well as the Broken Rock Indian Reservation and a group of developers who want to seize the Dutton family's valuable land.
While Costner is undoubtedly the star, the series also focuses extensively on the Shakespearean drama of his bickering children, as well as the workers who actually keep the Yellowstone Ranch running smoothly.
The series has become a favorite of conservative viewers for its seemingly “anti-woke” storylines, but Dutton and his family are also regularly portrayed as amoral and are responsible for several murders over the course of the seasons.
After Costner clashed with Sheridan and Paramount, the show's studio, over his desire to shorten the filming schedule for his two-part Western epic Horizon, the actor left the series after completing the first half of the fifth season .
When negotiations failed to get him to return and complete his second half episodes, which were scheduled to be released later, the studio planned to permanently end his character's story and continue the series under a new name and with a new lead role actor, although Costner said a clause in his contract prevented his character from being killed off in an embarrassing way.
2024 – The Yellowstone Sequel
Paramount has tried to solve its Yellowstone problem with a sequel series that continues the main story while introducing new characters. The tentative title is 2024
Matthew McConnaughey is expected to appear as a character in the role of Costner in the new year of 2024, but he has not signed on to the series yet; seen in September 2023 in NYC
The Yellowstone sequel is currently only known by its working title, which is based on the nomenclature of the other spin-offs.
Instead of airing on the Paramount Network or its parent company CBS, it will be available on the streaming app Paramount+ in 2024 in hopes of attracting new subscribers.
Shortly after the Costner drama began, it was reported that Matthew McConaughey was negotiating with the production to take on a new sequel series to put the Costner era behind him.
It's unclear who he might be playing and what connection he would have to the previous series, but he is expected to occupy the same patriarchal position as Costner's character.
However, despite the series order, McConaughey hasn't officially signed on to the series yet, so it's still possible he walks away.
Although some of the characters will reportedly return in the tentatively titled 2024, the series will likely introduce new faces and potentially explore new locations.
1883 – The first spin-off
Tim McGraw played James Dutton, while his real-life wife Faith Hill played his on-screen wife Margaret in the first Yellowstone prequel, “1883,” which chronicled the family's journey from Tennessee to Montana
The ten-episode series ended with several tragedies and deaths, and Sheridan announced that there would be no further seasons
The first show to enrich the Yellowstone universe was the single-season wonder 1883.
The show is set in the late 19th century when James Dillard Dutton (country singer and actor Tim McGraw), a former captain in the Confederacy that defended slavery during the American Civil War, travels west from Tennessee with his family on a quest for a new homestead.
Accompanying him on the arduous journey is his wife Margaret (McGraw's real wife, the singer Faith Hill) and their children.
She travels with her family by train to Fort Worth, Texas, to accompany James on the trip, which is led by Pinkerton agent – and former Union captain – Shea Brennan (Sam Elliott).
The 10-episode series ends with mounting tragedies and deaths, and Sheridan has stated that the series has concluded and will not receive further seasons.
1923 – A new branch in Dutton continues
Superstar Harrison Ford had a rare TV role in the 1883 sequel “1923” with co-star Helen Mirren. He plays James' brother Jacob, who has become the new Dutton patriarch in Montana
The first spinoff in 1883 may have ended in tragedy, but that didn't stop other members of the Dutton family from continuing Jacob and Margaret's vision of creating a western paradise in Montana.
The second Yellowstone spin-off from 1923 stars superstars Harrison Ford and Helen Mirren as Jacob and Cara Dutton.
Jacob is the older brother of McGraw's 1883 character, and although he and Cara have no children of their own, they have taken over the family and raised John Sr. and Spencer Dutton, James and Margaret's son.
At the beginning of the 20th century, Jacob and Cara must deal with natural disasters impacting their coveted land, as well as the effects of Prohibition and the resulting crime.
The series' first season, which premiered in 2022, also foreshadowed the impending Great Depression brought on by the stock market crash of 1929, although rural Montana in the early 1920s does not have as many buffers to delay the impending Great Depression economic pain.
The series, which has been renewed for an eight-episode second season, explores the struggles between the Dutton family and developers with deeper pockets who want to take over their land.
It is currently unclear when “1923” will begin filming next season or when the premiere can be expected.
1944 – The next prequel spin-off
Few details have been released about Sheridan's next Yellowstone prequel, 1944, but it is possible that it could contain characters from 1923 due to the more modest time jump; still from 1923
Few details have been released about Sheridan's next Yellowstone prequel, 1944.
The series begins at the height of America's entry into fighting in Europe in World War II, but it is unclear how important the war will be to the 1944 characters.
It's also unknown whether any of the characters or actors from 1923 will be carried over into the upcoming series, but the more modest time jump of just over two decades certainly makes it possible.
No potential cast members or characters have been announced yet.
However, 1923's second season could help clarify the direction of future shows.
6666 – Sheridan's delayed spinoff
Sheridan's upcoming series – a contemporary spin-off starring Yellowstone's Jefferson White – is on hold after he purchased the eponymous Four Sixes ranch; still from Yellowstone
Few details have also been revealed regarding Sheridan's other upcoming spin-off, 6666.
The series is set on the real-life Four Sixes Ranch – also known as 6666 – which Sheridan purchased with a group of investors in 2021.
Yellowstone has already filmed some scenes at the ranch and the upcoming show will also be filmed there.
However, Sheridan's acquisition of the ranch appears to have halted progress rather than removing an obstacle, as he now has to concern himself with the welfare of the people who manage the ranch.
“This requires a unique level of special care for a number of reasons because this is a real place where real families work,” he told The Hollywood Reporter after purchasing the property. “You have to respect the lineage.” I said [the studio] to be patient.'
The show will likely be set around the same time as the flagship series and will star Yellowstone's Jefferson White, who plays Jimmy Hurdstram.