Kevin Costner discusses his Yellowstone departure
Yellowstone stars Kelly Reilly and Cole Hauser are reportedly in talks to reprise their roles as Beth Dutton and Rip Wheeler for a sixth season of the Paramount Network flagship.
Taylor Sheridan’s hit Western drama hit some hurdles in recent years after the departure of Kevin Costner to work on his own big-screen epic, Horizon.
The series was widely reported to have been cancelled with the loss of its protagonist John Dutton and was expected to wrap up with the final six episodes of season five, coming this November.
However, the hit drama could now be moving on to pastures new with Kelly and Cole nearing deals to take over as series leads, according to TVLine.
A sixth season of Yellowstone’s flagship would join offshoot The Madison, which is currently in the works with Michelle Pfeiffer, Patrick J Adams and Beau Garrett leading the charge.
An industry newsletter obtained by the publication substantiates these reports after it was previously rumoured that newlyweds Beth and Rip would be making cameo appearances in the upcoming spin-off.
The Madison, which has also just cast Lost star Matthew Fox in a major role, follows an entirely different family from New York but is set in the Yellowstone universe around Montana.
Producer Taylor’s sprawling Western universe is also set to continue with a second season of 1923 and another prequel, 1944.
While the Dutton saga would still be continuing in some form or another in these offshoots, fans could expect much more than cameos from the Dutton ranch to be gracing their screens soon.
Back in March this year, actress Kelly offered a cryptic hint towards the show’s future despite season five, part two being touted as its “final installment”.
“There are discussions, you know,” she teased in Radio Times. “Don’t believe everything you read. It’s just nonsense.”
Though she also admitted she was in the midst of “prepping” for the end of Yellowstone.
“I just care about finishing [the OG series] with as much care and as much passion and as much love as I can muster to put into it…
“I’m sort of prepping for that now, [and] that’s my tunnel-vision thing that I care about most.”
Beth and Rip’s return could form the basis of another new offshoot in order to respect the conclusion of the Yellowstone mothership, but thankfully it seems season five won’t be the Duttons’ last rodeo.
Yellowstone season 5, part 2 premieres Sunday, November 10 on Paramount.
