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For the past few years, Yellowstone has become a phenomenon. The show – created by showrunner Taylor Sheridan – follows John Dutton (Kevin Costner) and his family, who owns the Yellowstone Dutton Ranch. Now fans have heard word about a new spinoff featuring Academy Award winner Matthew McConaughey. Here’s what we know about the new Yellowstone show so far.

‘Yellowstone’ has inspired an extended universe of multiple shows

Since it premiered in 2019 on the Paramount Network, Yellowstone has gained a loyal fan base. And moreover, Sheridan has continued to expand the series’ universe in unexpected ways. In 2021, the show’s first spinoff, 1883, debuted on Paramount+. With Yellowstone set in the present day, its offshoots have mostly continued to look at the history of the Dutton family through the ranch’s history.

With the success of 1883, the Yellowstone universe added a second spinoff, 1923, in 2022. That show stars Harrison Ford and Helen Mirren and is expected to be followed by several more Yellowstone spin-offs currently in development. These include Bass Reeves, focused on the 1883 character, and 1944, designed to be a sequel to 1923. But where does the McConaughey-led spinoff fit into all those plans?

Matthew McConaughey will star in the latest ‘Yellowstone’ spinoff

matthew mcconaughey yellowstone spinoff
Actor Matthew McConaughey appears at Film Independent’s Los Angeles Film Festival opening night premiere of “Bernie” at the L.A. Live Regal Cinemas on June 16, 2011 in Los Angeles, California. | Kevin Winter/Getty Images

According to The Hollywood Reporter, McConaughey’s show will go into production regardless of what happens with any of its sister series, including the original Yellowstone. However, other than the fact that it’s definitely happening, there aren’t a whole lot of details about the new show. Perhaps McConaughey will step into the lead of 1944 and one of the other announced spin-offs.

Yellowstone star Josh Lucas – who plays the young version of Costner’s character, John Dutton, in flashbacks – has already expressed his enthusiasm for the McConaughey-led show. “I’m sure [Taylor Sheridan] has great ideas for how these characters merge together,” Lucas told Entertainment Tonight recently. Part of it is the mystery of the mind of that creator… bring it on.”

Is Kevin Costner leaving the ‘Yellowstone’ universe soon?

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Ironically, as the Yellowstone universe continues to grow, the original show could be poised to lose its lead actor. Rumors have been swirling for a while that Costner could be ready to leave the show. Although Sheridan likely could find a way to keep Yellowstone going, it’s looking increasingly likely that the series could come to an end soon if Costner were to walk away.

Former Yellowstone actor Wolé Parks believes the series “lives or dies” by Costner. But it remains to be seen exactly how Sheridan will proceed if Costner is ready to move on. If anything, the strong critical and fan reception to the spinoffs makes the Yellowstone franchise seem sustainable even without the original show keeping the story alive in the present day.

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