Hit cowboy television series “Yellowstone” saw more drama off-screen than on-screen in 2023. What happened, and what does it mean for 2024?
Rumors started to surface in March that all was not well with the cast and crew of “Yellowstone,” the incredible modern western co-created by Taylor Sheridan. Despite having spawned a whole renaissance in entertainment, “Yellowstone” was the subject of far more off-screen drama than that written into Sheridan’s scripts.
It seemed to start in March, when reports suggested Sheridan was fighting with the show’s lead actor Kevin Costner (who plays John Dutton). Initially, Costner was called out for his ego, movie commitments, and even problems with his personal assistant. Costner is paid more than $1 million per episode of “Yellowstone,” and was supposed to film the final half of season five at the start of the year.
Costner was also supposed to be paid $1.5 million per episode if the show went to a sixth season, but he and the universe pretty much made sure that wouldn’t happen. Thanks to an extremely messy divorce, ongoing drama with Sheridan, and the Hollywood writers and actors strikes, the series is coming to a premature end. And we’re not even sure if Costner will be part of it.
‘Yellowstone’ Makes Huge Announcement Regarding Future Of The Show, Kevin Costner, And The Next Spin Offhttps://t.co/5nQn68Gthl
— Daily Caller (@DailyCaller) November 4, 2023
And then there was the legal drama. Not only did Costner threaten to sue the show, but Sheridan did actually sue one of the other cast members. In November, Sheridan started and then quickly settled legal proceedings against Cole Hauser, who plays Rip Wheeler on the show. The lawsuit stemmed from Hauser’s recent purchase of a coffee brand, which had very similar aesthetics to Sheridan’s Bosque Ranch empire.
And then there are the spin-offs, prequels, and more from Sheridan in 2024.
“Yellowstone” season six is not happening, but that hasn’t stopped one A-lister from keeping the franchise alive. The next spin-off from “Yellowstone” will be called “2024,” and it looks like Matthew McConaughey is set to star. Some of the cast of the original show will potentially be joining this next chapter.
There will also be another prequel, “1944,” which will apparently follow on from “1923” in a similar method to how “1923” followed “1993.” (RELATED: Taylor Sheridan Only Told A Few Cast Members The Conclusion To ‘Yellowstone’ — Here’s What Luke Grimes Thinks)
But we’re going to have to wait a while to find out more. And, if the last year is anything to go by, all of this might change by tomorrow morning. There really is no telling with Sheridan, not his crazy schedule.