DALLAS — Warning: Spoilers included
"Yellowstone" is over. Or is it?
The Taylor Sheridan-created western drama, formerly starring Kevin Costner, aired its "season" finale Sunday night, and I use air quotes there because it's widely assumed the series, not just the fifth season, is done for good. The folks at "Yellowstone" and Paramount just haven't explicitly said that yet.
Instead, over and over again, in the promos leading up to Sunday night's episode, the wording has been either "finale" or "season finale."
But -- and one last spoiler warning here -- how's this for finality? The ranch is sold. The wayward Dutton brother is dead. And Costner's patriarch character is in the ground.
Not exactly much left on the bone for a "Yellowstone" Season 6, as Sunday night saw the core cast members go their separate ways and disperse from the show's namesake ranch.
But anyone who's kept up with "Yellowstone" for this long knows that Taylor Sheridan doesn't work in a vacuum. The Fort Worth-raised actor and screenwriter has produced an entire universe of "Yellowstone"-related prequels and spinoffs, plus plenty of other Paramount shows separate from "Yellowstone" but similar in aesthetic. (Billy Bob Thornton's Tommy Norris in "Landman," for example, could be Kelly Reilly's Beth Dutton in another life).
So, chances are, the ranching world of "Yellowstone" will keep turning, whether that's beneath Montana's open skies or further south, down here in Texas.
Let's walk through where things stand.
Is "Yellowstone" done for good?
If we had to guess: Probably not. But in its current form -- or at least before this last half-season knocked everything off kilter -- yes.
Kevin Costner's John Dutton is dead (and Costner left the show), the "Yellowstone" ranch was sold off in the last episode, the Dutton brother driving much of the conflict (Jamie) was taken to the "Train Station," and the ranch hands that occupied the bunkhouse found other gigs.
But this is Taylor Sheridan's world of spinoffs and sequels, and we're just living in it.
News leaked last week about a potential spinoff show featuring Kelly Reilly's Beth Dutton and Cole Hauser's Rip Wheeler, who were married on "Yellowstone." And that makes sense. Outside of Costner, those two, on their characters alone, carried the most star power through the later seasons.
The end of Sunday night's episode saw Beth and Rip starting a new life on a Montana ranch far from any city. Maybe this is where the "Yellowstone" series goes next?
It's important to note that Sheridan has given us the playbook here, with prequels "1883" and "1923" that tell stories of the Dutton family's Yellowstone past. There's nothing to suggest he couldn't do a "Yellowstone" sequel either.
Will "Yellowstone" move to Texas?
Sheridan is a North Texas native and is closely tied to two different Texas ranches, his Bosque Ranch near Weatherford and the famed 6666 Ranch in West Texas. Both the 6666 and, more recently, Bosque Ranch have been featured in "Yellowstone," partly due to Sheridan's passion for cutting and quarter horses.
A spinoff show surrounding the 6666 has been rumored for several years now, with no official confirmation from Paramount. But all the pieces are there: A massive ranch with a decades-long legacy, and, better yet for Sheridan, a property he owns and can film on.
One other caveat to consider here: Could a 6666 spinoff and the rumored spinoff featuring Beth Dutton (Kelly Reilly) and Rip Wheeler (Cole Hauser) be combined into one show? The latter two appeared in Texas-set scenes in and around the 6666 Ranch in this last season of "Yellowstone," as their characters longed for a place with tourists (unlike their home in Montana). They seemed to realize the Texas Panhandle was a good spot for that.
Another reason a "Yellowstone" sequel might shift to Texas: Sheridan just seems to like filming here, whether it's on his ranch properties or in downtown Fort Worth. His latest show, "Landman," was filmed all over Cowtown, and in West Texas, too.
What's next in the "Yellowstone" universe?
Sheridan's current "Yellowstone" universe show (outside of the main series) is the "1923" prequel, which first aired in 2022. Season 2 of "1923" debuts Feb. 23 on the Paramount+ streaming app.
He's also filming for "The Madison," a "Yellowstone" spinoff that's now shot scenes in both downtown Dallas and Fort Worth.
Separate from the "Yellowstone" world, Sheridan also has "Landman," Special Ops: Lioness," "Tulsa King" and "Mayor of Kingstown" still in the works. He stays busy.
