Yellowstone Universe: Spin-Offs Are Stealing the Spotlight From the Original Show md06

Following the conclusion of the flagship series, it appears that the Yellowstone universe (sometimes called the Duttonverse) has begun to shift, pivoting to new characters that will keep audiences invested post-Kevin Costner‘s John Dutton. It’s no secret that the success of Yellowstone put Taylor Sheridan on the map unlike any other writer currently in Hollywood, and Sheridan’s almost overnight success has since drawn in the likes of big-name performers who are jumping head-over-heels to work with the neo-Western filmmaker. It’s because of this that the various Yellowstone sequels and spin-offs seem to have a leg-up on the original series, with casting choices that alone will bring in viewers curious about the franchise’s future.

‘Yellowstone’s Big Draw Was Kevin Costner, but the Spin-Offs Have Added Even More Stars

Image by Federico Napoli

When Yellowstone first premiered, there’s no secret that the biggest draw of the project (for many) was that Kevin Costner was the lead. The Western star had spent decades trying to singlehandedly breathe new life into the genre, and so a long-form television epic set in the modern American West certainly got folks’ attention. Costner drew in audiences who had never heard of the Paramount Network or Taylor Sheridan (despite the American Frontier trilogy concluding with Wind River a year prior), and his presence stood out among the rest of the cast, who — while capable actors in their own right — were far lesser known. But now the tide has changed, and we can see that Sheridan and company are pulling in more than a single big name to help sell future spin-offs.

This can be seen most clearly in the casting choices for upcoming Yellowstone continuations, like the sequel series Dutton Ranch and the long-anticipated spin-off The Madison. Aside from former cast members like Cole Hauser and Kelly Reilly, who have been put on the map due to the neo-Western drama, the stacked casts of these projects include the likes of Ed Harris, Annette Bening, Michelle Pfeiffer, Jai Courtney, Matthew Fox, and even Kurt Russell, who himself has been just as influential as Costner regarding the Western. It appears that Sheridan has learned that centering a series around a single actor is a dangerous game to play after Costner’s exit from Yellowstone, which resulted in the untimely death of John Dutton.

Of course, there are other shows beyond Dutton Ranch and The Madison that Sheridan is in the process of producing. The Luke Grimes-led sequel series Y: Marshals has likewise brought back several cast members from the original drama, including powerhouse Gil Birmingham, and has also tapped Logan Marshall-Green for the project. And that’s not to mention that, for several years, Matthew McConaughey was rumored to be joining the franchise for a while in some spin-off project or another. It’s unclear if the McConaughey series is moving forward, but what is clear is that the Duttonverse is drawing in names like no tomorrow. After all, who wasn’t thrilled to see Sam Eliott in 1883 and the dynamic pair of Harrison Ford and Helen Mirren in 1923? Those names alone were a major draw for the hit Western prequels.

Familiar Faces May Draw in New Viewers to Taylor Sheridan’s Neo-Western World

Image via Buena Vista Pictures

Whether audiences are willing to admit it or not, the truth is that just as we often judge books by their cover, many consider which television projects to invest their time in based on who is cast in the leading or supporting roles. With so many options out there, television these days can be overwhelming, but with a familiar face leading the charge, suddenly a viewer might be drawn to a story due to those involved. After all, who wouldn’t want to watch another Kurt Russell Western? If that’s you, then you may just be interested in The Madison. If you adored these 10-minutes of Appaloosa, then you may be excited about Ed Harris’ return to the genre with the Dutton Ranch series. Fans of the lesser-known Damnation will likewise rejoice to see Logan Marshall-Green once again tackle the American West in Y: Marshals, albeit in a modern context rather than the Great Depression era.

Admittedly, a big-name star is not a signpost that automatically exclaims that a project will be good. Despite Kevin Costner’s involvement with Yellowstone from the beginning, the show’s first season was met by seriously mixed reviews from critics (including us here at Collider). But with a strong narrative angle and compelling characters who are enjoyable to follow, the Yellowstone spin-offs may just surpass the original drama, if not just in the big-name casts they’ve assembled.

It’s Hard to Know If ‘Yellowstone’s Spin-offs Will Pull In the Same Audience

Of course, we can’t know for certain that adding a plethora of bigger stars to the cast of these spin-offs will generate the same amount of buzz that Costner’s inclusion did back in 2018. After the Yellowstone series finale, many have become disillusioned with the neo-Western drama, with some believing that the conclusion to the saga was a bit of a let-down. But whether you enjoyed the finale or not, the truth is that the Duttonverse shows no signs of slowing down, and Sheridan’s name continues to be enough of a draw for many to get involved in whatever project he’s working on. We’ve seen this in Billy Bob Thornton‘s Landman, Sylvester Stallone‘s Tulsa King, Jeremy Renner‘s Mayor of Kingstown, and Lioness, which includes Nicole Kidman, Morgan Freeman, and Zoe Saldaña. So far, these shows have done well for Paramount, in part due to Sheridan and likely in part due to their impressive casts.

If these other Sheridan-verse shows are any indication, the addition of all these extra heavy-hitters (not to mention returning Yellowstone favorites) will undoubtedly make each of these spin-off projects shine in a way that the original Paramount Network drama simply couldn’t back when it first aired. For better or worse, Yellowstone changed the television landscape, opening the door for the return of a genre many had simply written off, not to mention a style of soapy prestige TV that Sheridan has made his bread and butter. Whenever these spin-offs end up on Paramount, we cannot wait to see what Sheridan can do with such an impressive batch of actors.