‘Yellowstone’ Universe Won’t End With Finale After Two Major Characters Sign New Deal

 The “Yellowstone” universe might not be ending with the highly-anticipated upcoming finale of the series after two major characters have reportedly signed new deals.

Sources with knowledge told Deadline that two of the stars of the popular Paramount series about the Dutton family, Cole Hauser and Kelly Reilly, have reportedly closed deals to be part of a spinoff series, reprising their roles of husband and wife Rip Wheeler and Beth Dutton.

The insider said the creator of “Yellowstone,” Taylor Sheridan, is reportedly working on the creative for the show, which could include others from the series that has captured fans since the first season launched, led by Kevin Costner, in 2018.

The spinoff will be the first to follow the current storyline that comes to an end with Season 5’s final episode that will air on Sunday, December 15.

The “Yellowstone” series focuses on the “Dutton family who controls the largest contiguous cattle ranch in the United States. Amid shifting alliances, unsolved murders, open wounds and hard-earned respect — the ranch is in constant conflict with those it borders — an expanding town, an Indian reservation, and America’s first national park,” The Hollywood Reporter noted.

 

The news follows a report earlier this year that at least two spinoffs could be a reality in the future for the series, with the conclusion of the current season centering around Costner’s character’s departure from the show, THR noted. The spinoffs will come from the existing producers MTV Entertainment Studios and 101 Studios.

At the time, one of the new shows had a working title of “2024” and reportedly would put the Duttons in the present day. The other is expected to follow in the footsteps of the two earlier “Yellowstone” prequels, “1883” and “1923,” with a current title of “1944.”

Hauser previously appeared to address the rumors he could be part of one of the spinoffs, as previously reported.

“I know that there’s some stuff on the horizon when it comes to Taylor’s ideas for Kelly Reilly and myself, and some of the other cast,” Hauser said. “I’m excited to see where he goes creatively with that. But right now it’s just: Let’s finish strong; let’s do the best we can.”

Reilly also seemed to hint about her involvement in a spinoff in a recent interview, but made it clear that she didn’t “have an answer right now. But we’ll see.”

Costner previously told GQ that a scheduling conflict had nothing to do with his departure from the series amid reports that blamed him for halting production on the second half of the season due to filming for his western movie “Horizon: An American Saga-Chapter 1,” followed by the writers’ and actors’ strikes, as previously reported.