The flagshipYellowstoneseries may be over, but there are a slew of spinoffs on the way, and the one that is most exciting is the one least closely tied to the original series.Yellowstoneended rather abruptly after star Kevin Costner departed the show to pursue his passion project, theHorizon: An American Sagamovie series. However, the appetite for more stories from theYellowstoneuniverse has never been higher, especially with so many plot lines from the original series ending on unsatisfying notes.
Creator Taylor Sheridan struck gold with both of the prequel series that spun off from the originalYellowstone.1883chronicled the arduous journey that the very first Duttons made to settle in Montana, while the ongoing1923tells the story of the post-WWI Duttons fighting to keep their hold on the precious land. Now thatYellowstoneis over, many of the spin-offs will operate as sequel series, picking up where some of the show’s main characters left off or featuring a new set of characters from theYellowstoneuniverse. One spinoff series in particular is more exciting than the others.
Yellowstone’s Series Finale Set An Unwanted Record For The Taylor Sheridan Franchise
The final episode of Yellowstone’s split final season was controversial for several reasons, and yielded an undesirable ratings record.
1944 Is Yellowstone’s Most Exciting Future Spinoff
The Prequel Series Will Likely Feature Faces From1923
One of the upcoming spin-offs will follow along the path laid out by1883and1923, and follow a previous generation of Duttons that lived on the Yellowstone ranch prior to the birth ofYellowstone’s patriarch, John Dutton. The title of the show is of particular interest; while there are very few plot details available, it can be assumed that, given the temporal setting, it will chronicle the Dutton family’s involvement in World War II. Depending on the amount of time covered by the show,1944may even lead up to the birth of John Dutton.
The cast possibilities along with the notable plot timing make 1944 the most exciting of the upcoming spinoffs.
The date of the show is interesting in the opposite direction, as well. It’s set just 21 years after the events of1923, so some of the younger Duttons in that series could appear as older versions of themselves. Brandon Sklenar’s Spencer Dutton, his wife Alex (Julia Schlaepfer) and their family are on track to take over the Dutton ranch when1923comes to an end, so 1944 could see them leading the family in a similar role to Harrison Ford and Helen Mirren’s Jacob and Cara Dutton. The cast possibilities along with the notable plot timing make it the most exciting of the upcoming spinoffs.
Of All Yellowstone’s New Spinoffs, 1944 Has The Smallest Connection To The Main Show
The Rest Of The Upcoming Spinoffs Will Feature Characters From The Yellowstone Cast
Despite being a prequel directly about the Dutton family,1944also has the least significant connection to the main series. As of now,every other upcomingYellowstonespinoffwill connect directly to the timeline and cast of the flagship show.6666is currently on hold but will follow Jefferson White’s Jimmy Hurdstrom on the Four Sixes Ranch in Texas, whileThe Madison, which will star Michelle Pfeiffer, will chronicle the arrival of a New York City family that lives in the Madison River Valley of Montana, theoretically one of the Yellowstone’s neighbors.
The Madison is set to release at some point in 2025, while6666does not currently have a release date. The Beth and Rip spinoff is in active development, but won’t appear on the Paramount network until 2026 at the earliest.
A currently untitled spinoff series starring Beth and Ripis also in development. It will presumably follow them as they deal with their new ranch, and will almost certainly feature characters from the original show. It is set to act as a de facto sixth season ofYellowstonein lieu of the once-planned sequel series2024. With no characters present from the original show,1944will be the least-connected show to the original.
Yellowstone’s Prequels Are Secretly The Best Part Of The Franchise
The Shorter Series Runs Yield Powerful, Well-Paced Stories
For as good as the original neo-Western drama was, the two prequel series have actually been some of the best-reviewed seasons of the show, and for good reason. The shorter series lengths have led to exceptionally well-paced, action-packed stories, anchored by some of the franchise’s most impressive and emotional performances.1883in particular showed off some of the filmmaking craftsmanship of Taylor Sheridan and his team, as it looked and felt like a real Old West journey that the Duttons were on.
Beth & Rip’s Yellowstone Spinoff Is Actually Bad News For The Couple
There’s a secret reason Beth and Rip’s story continuing in their Yellowstone spinoff is terrible news for Kelly Reilly and Cole Hauser’s characters.
1944being set in a similarly distinct time period should yield something similar. Without the need to drag out for six or seven seasons (asYellowstonewas originally planned for), the show can focus on an airtight, self-contained season of television, with the potential for two seasons if it follows the track that1923is currently on. No matter how it ends up developing,1944is the most exciting of the upcomingYellowstoneprequels despite having virtually no connections to the original show despite the Dutton family line.
