A shock is being prepared in the universe of Yellowstone. The series worn by Kevin Costner is about to end as Taylor Sheridan seeks to extend the franchise with Matthew McConaughey.
It was to be expected. Yellowstone, the most watched series on American television, could end unexpectedly. According Deadline, Taylor Sheridan, co-creator and showrunner of the series, Paramount Global and Paramount Network have decided to end their flagship series in its current form. But they are planning a possible expansion of the franchise to continue the Dutton saga.
A new series could thus see the light of day with Matthew McConaughey, who wears the cowboy hat very well, to be the star. The actor is currently in talks. On the other hand, it is not yet known which of the Yellowstone actors will be transferred to the series led by McConaughey, but it is expected that there will be several big stars.
“We have no news to report. Kevin Costner is an important part of Yellowstone and we hope it will be for a long time to come. Thanks to the brilliant mind of Taylor Sheridan, we are still working on extensions of this amazing world he built. Matthew McConaughey is a phenomenal talent we would love to partner with“, a spokesperson for Paramount Network told Deadline.
Kevin Costner on the start?
The Yellowstone team actually faces a big problem. There are strong disagreements with Kevin Costner over filming schedules. Also according to Deadline, the actor was initially limited to 65 days of filming and only wanted to shoot 50 days for the first part of the current season.
But for the second half of Season 5, the actor – who just won Best TV Actor in a Drama Series at the Golden Globes – only wanted to devote a week to filming. Indeed, Kevin Costner directs and plays in his next film, Horizon, a western. The filming takes place in two parts and the second must take place in the spring of 2023.
Given that Kevin Costner plays the role of John Dutton, the patriarch of the Dutton clan, this was a source of frustration for Taylor Sheridan. It would have even impacted the morale of the other members of the series, which includes Luke Grimes, Kelly Reilly, Wes Bentley, Cole Hauser, Kelsey Asbille and Gil Birmingham.
Paramount Network
Paramount Network would thus have refused Kevin Costner’s last proposal and made the decision to move on to the other series, with Matthew McConaughey. What all parties are arguing about now is an expansion of the Yellowstone franchise that Sheridan will write with McConaughey as the headliner. The True Detective star is currently in negotiations.
It’s not yet clear whether the McConaughey-led franchise expansion will take place at the Duttons’ ranch in Montana or elsewhere. But the new project is much more than just a chat, born out of lingering disagreements over how much time Costner is willing to spend filming the show is shrinking.
But for Deadline, it is quite possible that Yellowstone will end with the second part of the current season, which is scheduled to return to the United States for the summer. In France, with the confirmed closure of Salto, we still do not know where and when it will be visible. Paramount+ stands out as the most likely candidate. Contacted by us, the platform has not yet responded to our request.