The Yellowstone franchise is set to continue one way or another, but fans have no idea if the flagship show will be continued, or if the universe's main characters, such as Beth and Rip, will only show up in future spin-offs.
Those who have followed Yellowstone for the past few years have likely been nothing but confused in regards to the future of the show.
Initially, Yellowstone was going to last for seven seasons, but behind-the-scenes drama between series lead Kevin Costner and series creator and writer Taylor Sheridan forced the latter to rework the entire plan.
Season 5 just wrapped up on Paramount Network in an episode that felt a lot like a series finale even if it wasn't marketed that way.
Will Fans See Yellowstone Season 6 or a Spin-Off?
As Yellowstone Season 5, Part 2 approached, the biggest question many fans had was if it would be the final season of the biggest Western project in recent memory.
There seemed to be a glimmer of hope when some of Yellowstone's cast members talked about wanting to return and some reports indicated that Sheridan and Paramount were thinking about putting Season 6 into development.
It also helped that Season 5, Part 2 was not marketed as the final season. Even when that installment reached its finale, all of the promotional material was called in the Season 5 finale instead of the series finale.
However, a recent report from Deadline confirmed that Kelly Reilly and Cole Hauser (who played Beth Dutton and Rip Wheeler in Yellowstone) recently signed new contracts to reprise their roles, just not in Yellowstone.
Instead, the report stated that they would be returning in a spin-off series that will also act as a sequel to the flagship show. The title of that upcoming project hasn't been revealed yet, but it was revealed that it will include the word "Yellowstone", indicating that it will be as close to the original show as possible.
While the status of Yellowstone still has not been confirmed, the fact that a sequel series that features Yellowstone's two biggest characters is apparently in the works likely means that the main show is over.
It is also important to mention that Paramount could financially benefit from creating an entirely new show.
Paramount and Peacock came to an agreement that led to Yellowstone streaming exclusively on Peacock (read more about that agreement and the show's streaming details here). Since the show has grown to be as big as it is, that took a lot of potential viewers away from Paramount's own streaming service, Paramount+.
However, creating a new series would allow Paramount to stream it on Paramount+ since it wouldn't be a part of that initial agreement with Peacock. So, that makes it even more likely that Yellowstone will not continue.
Other Ways the Yellowstone Universe Will Continue
The upcoming sequel series starring Reilly and Hauser is not the only Yellowstone spin-off project in development.
1923 Season 2 is set to be released on February 23 exclusively on Paramount+, but fans could even see another Yellowstone-related project in 2025 in the form of a new show called The Madison.
While The Madison will start an entirely new story within the franchise, it is believed that it will feature some appearances from actors and characters who appeared in Yellowstone.
The show will be set in Montana, just not in the same city as Yellowstone was, so there will likely be some crossover with the new series about Beth and Rip.
It is also worth mentioning that a series about the Four Sixes Ranch is in development. It will reportedly be titled 6666 and will bring back characters who appeared in Yellowstone, like Jefferson White's Jimmy Hurdstrom.
The Yellowstone Season 5 finale also revealed that Jen Landon's Teeter moved to Texas and took a job horse training alongside Jimmy, so she will likely be featured in that show now too.
So, in a way, 6666 will also continue some of the storylines and character arcs originally set up in Yellowstone.
Yellowstone is streaming on Peacock.
