‘Yellowstone’ Creator Taylor Sheridan Says Spinoff ‘Y:1883’ Will Explore the First Duttons In the ‘Wild West’
ARTICLE HIGHLIGHTS
- Yellowstone creator Taylor Sheridan is expanding his universe with the prequel series 1883.
- The new series tells the origin story of the Dutton family and the infamous Dutton Ranch.
- 1883 stars Tim McGraw, Faith Hill, Sam Elliott, and newcomer Isabel May.
The Yellowstone universe is expanding with a prequel titled 1883. The new Paramount+ series will take a deep dive into the history of the Dutton family before they founded their Montana cattle ranch. According to creator Taylor Sheridan, 1883 will explore the first Duttons in the “Wild West.”
‘1883’ is set in the late 19th century
As the name suggests, 1883 will be set in the late 19th century as the Dutton family moves west across the Great Plains to create their Montana homestead. The series stars Tim McGraw, Faith Hill, Sam Elliott, and newcomer Isabel May.
More than a century later, that homestead will turn into the massive Yellowstone Dutton Ranch featured on the original Paramount Network series.
Fans got a peek at the new series via a teaser that aired during the Super Bowl in February. According to Variety, the prequel is described as a “stark retelling of Western expansion.” It’s also an “intense study of one family fleeing poverty” and seeking a better future. 1883 is part of a larger deal that Sheridan signed with Viacom CBS and MTV Entertainment Group.
Taylor Sheridan has been ‘fascinated’ with expanding the ‘Yellowstone’ universe
In the new series, Yellowstone fans will learn just how the Duttons ended up in Montana and why they decided to settle there. According to Express, Sheridan has been fascinated with expanding the Yellowstone universe since he came up with the original story.
“I was always fascinated when I came up with the story of Yellowstone. About how do we make it bigger and how do we expand it?” Sheridan revealed. “This new show explores different eras of that 130-year legacy. What an opportunity to witness the first Duttons to come to Montana.”
The new ‘Yellowstone’ prequel ‘1883’ will explore the Duttons in the ‘Wild West’
Sheridan promised that fans will see the Dutton family when they were homesteading in the 1880s. He explained that their empire starts in the “wild west.”
“We see them when they were homesteading. When we say the ‘Wild West’, what that really means is a West beyond the reach of the rule of law,” Sheridan revealed. “It really is the beginning of an empire before it was an empire.”
Of course, because the series is set nearly 140 years before the original series, no one in the Yellowstone cast will be part of the prequel. However, fans are confident that Sheridan will deliver a great series. Because he is “one of the best writers in Hollywood right now.”
Taylor Sheridan is expanding the ‘Yellowstone’ universe even more
Sheridan says that as a storyteller, his job is to “entertain first, educate second, and enlighten third.”
He noted that what they’ve been able to do with Yellowstone is “rare,” and he’s excited to expand the universe with a number of different shows.
In addition to Yellowstone and 1883, Sheridan is introducing the spinoff 6666 in season 4. This new series tells the story of the famous Four Sixes Ranch in Texas.
There will also be the series Land Man, about the oil boom and bust in West Texas. Sheridan says that series will focus on “greed,” the very best and very worst of humanity. He believes that is “a story worth telling and exploring.”
Season 4 of Yellowstone airs Sunday nights on the Paramount Network.
1883 premieres Sunday, Dec. 19, on Paramount+.
