“Yellowstone” is officially coming to an end, with the final episodes of the megahit Paramount Network series’ fifth season set to launch in November. In addition, an untitled sequel series has been ordered and will debut on Paramount Network in December and later on Paramount+.
The announcement comes after months of speculation that Kevin Costner would be leaving the series, reportedly over his desire to focus on the epic two-part Western feature “Horizon,” which would have seriously impacted his availability to film “Yellowstone.”
“’Yellowstone’ has been the cornerstone on which we have launched an entire universe of global hits – from ‘1883’ to ‘Tulsa King,’ and I am confident our ‘Yellowstone’ sequel will be another big hit, thanks to the brilliant creative mind of Taylor Sheridan and our incredible casts who bring these shows to life,” said Chris McCarthy, president & CEO of Showtime and MTV Entertainment Studios.
Exact plot and casting details of the sequel series are currently under wraps, but it was previously reported that Matthew McConaughey was in talks to star in a new show that would feature several characters from “Yellowstone.” It hails from Taylor Sheridan.
“Yellowstone” was co-created by Sheridan and John Linson. Executive producers include John Linson, Art Linson, Sheridan, Costner, Glasser, Bob Yari, Stephen Kay, and Christina Voros. Both “Yellowstone” and the new sequel are produced by MTV Entertainment Studios and 101 Studios.
“The Dutton story continues, picking up where Yellowstone leaves off in another epic tale. We are thrilled to bring this new journey to audiences around the world,” said David Glasser, CEO of 101 Studios.
“Yellowstone,” which follows the Dutton family and their sprawling cattle ranch in Montana, has proven to be one of the most popular shows on television. The premiere of the first half of Season 5, which aired in November 2022, pulled in a staggering 17 million viewers.
The sequel series not only allows Paramount and Sheridan to bypass any potential issues with Costner, but it also allows them to stream a new series featuring most of the original “Yellowstone” cast, as “Yellowstone” itself currently streams on Peacock.
Sheridan currently has a massive overall deal with Paramount, under which he has launch the “Yellowstone” prequels “1883” and “1923,” as well as the shows “Mayor of Kingstown” and “Tulsa King.” He also has the upcoming shows “Lioness,” “Land Man” and “Lawmen: Bass Reeves,” with several more in development.
