Yellowstone Spinoff Casting Report Reveals New Female Lead, Casts Doubt On McConaughey
Matthew McConaughey’s involvement in the upcoming Yellowstone sequel receives an uncertain update, just as a high-profile female lead looks to be joining the project. It was reported in May 2023, amid an ongoing dispute between lead star Kevin Costner and series creator Taylor Sheridan, that the flagship Yellowstone show would be ending with season 5. As a replacement, Paramount was moving forward with a follow-up sequel spinoff, with McConaughey attached as the lead.
However, a new report from Matt Belloni’s What I’m Hearing newsletter at Puck mentions that McConaughey’s role is far from set in stone, and his joining the Yellowstone spinoff will depend on seeing a script beforehand. Three-time Oscar nominee Michelle Pfeiffer, meanwhile, is said to be further along in negotiations for the female lead. Belloni reports that, should she sign on, it’s likely to happen in the next two weeks.
Pfeiffer Continues A Successful Taylor Sheridan Trend
Pfeiffer, known for her memorable performance as Catwoman in 1992’s Batman Returns, in addition to her Oscar-nominated performances in Love Field, The Fabulous Baker Boys, and Dangerous Liasons, is the latest high-profile actor to be linked to a Sheridan project. It’s a trend that arguably began by casting Costner as John Dutton in Yellowstone, helping lead to a career resurgence for the popular 1980s and 1990s actor.
Sheridan’s projects have since included the likes of Harrison Ford and Helen Mirren, both of whom lead the Paramount+ hit 1923, along with others like Sam Elliot (1883), Nicole Kidman, Morgan Freeman, and Zoe Saldaña (Special Ops: Lioness), and the Emmy-nominated David Oyelowo (Lawmen: Bass Reeves). These roles vary in prominence, but they help to bring attention to a project and ultimately spotlight the more unknown talent that shares the screen with established actors.
If the negotiation with Pfeifer works out, it will be particularly notable. Outside of the short-lived 2022 Showtime series The First Lady, she’s not been a series regular on a television show in decades. That will give the Yellowstone sequel a boost whenever the project comes to fruition, likely giving the veteran performer a very memorable role to play.
