Yellowstone Season 6: Is it happening?
ParamountIf you’re a fan of Taylor Sheridan’s show and its various spinoffs, you may be wondering if Yellowstone Season 6 is in the works.
What started as a simple Western drama became one of the strongest franchises on television. With five seasons and plenty of spin-offs still going strong, it’s clear: fans love being immersed in the sprawling Yellowstone timeline.
But with news of Yellowstone being canceled, plus confusion over the arrival of Yellowstone Season 5 Part 2, the Dutton community has been hit hard.
As the wait continues for new episodes, rumors and speculation surrounding a possible Season 6 have grown in intensity. We’ve broken down what you need to know about the potential for another season of Yellowstone.
Will Yellowstone Season 6 happen?
There have been no official plans announced for Yellowstone Season 6, so it looks like the show is set to end with Season 5 Part 2.
It was originally announced in 2023 that the show would end with Season 5 Part 2, which will be released on November 10, 2024.
ParamountAn August 27 report from Puck alleged that talks for a Yellowstone Season 6 were taking place. Kelly Reilly and Cole Hauser are reportedly in talks to headline the continuation, reprising their roles as Beth Dutton and Rip Wheeler. This was also echoed in a report from Deadline.
However, nothing beyond Season 5 Part 2 has been confirmed by the cast or Paramount.
In a September 2024 interview with Entertainment Weekly, the Yellowstone cast (Kelly Reilly and Luke Grimes) spoke about the show’s ending, which implies that Part 2 will be the final installment, and that those Season 6 rumors were just that: rumors.
“I’ve been itching to get back to the show and I’m so glad it finally worked out and we got to finish strong,” said Grimes.
“I read the last episode the day before we started filming. I couldn’t be happier. I think it’s a perfect ending for the show for every character. It’s just a testament to what a good writer Taylor is, and it’s a very, very profound, beautiful ending. I can’t wait to sit down and watch it one day.”
Reilly later added in November 2024 “I couldn’t possibly say, I don’t know yet,” with Cole Hauser adding “There’s talks, that’s all I can say. If Taylor pens it, I’m sure Kelly and I will make some time to go do it.”
Was the show canceled?
It was announced in May 2023 that Yellowstone would be ending with Season 5 Part 2, but it looked to be a mutual decision rather than an outright cancelation.
The remaining six episodes were still on the way, so the show was able to wrap up in some planned capacity.
Kevin Costner’s departure as John Dutton was a key contribution to the show ending, which happened because of scheduling, creative, and pay disputes.
Things got rocky because of an alleged behind-the-scenes feud between Kevin Costner and Taylor Sheridan. However, Costner has denied any bad blood. Costner’s been working on his four-part Western epic Horizon, which he pivoted to when there was a large production break on Yellowstone.
According to Costner, pay disputes and creative disagreements also contributed to his wanting to leave. With no scripts or Yellowstone updates provided and with negotiations not reaching any results, it was decided that he would not return.
Paramount then confirmed Season 5 would be the end of the Yellowstone flagship series, and also announced two new TV shows.
What’s next for Yellowstone?
There are three Yellowstone spinoffs in development, including Yellowstone 1944, The Madison, and Yellowstone 6666.
The Dutton family tree keeps growing. The new spin-offs — 1944 and The Madison (previously titled Yellowstone: 2024) — were announced in May 2023. Hardly any information has been released about 1944, but we know that it’s likely a sequel to 1923 Season 2.
6666 will step away from the Duttons and be set on the famous Texas ranch with new characters, with Jimmy likely playing the central role.
The Madison, on the other hand, is getting a lot of updates. It was announced in August 2024 that Michelle Pfeiffer, Matthew Fox, and Patrick J. Adams were joining the cast, despite earlier speculation that Matthew McConaughey would be joining the franchise in some capacity. The Madison will follow a New York City family in the Madison River valley of central Montana.
There’s no confirmed details of whether this’ll directly tie-in to Yellowstone’s finale, or if any existing characters will show up in the new spinoff.
In a statement, Chris McCarthy, president & CEO of Showtime and MTV Entertainment Studios, said, “Yellowstone has been the cornerstone on which we have launched an entire universe of global hits – from 1883 to Tulsa King, and I am confident our sequel will be another big hit, thanks to the brilliant creative mind of Taylor Sheridan and our incredible casts who bring these shows to life.”
For more on the Duttons, check out our guides on the shows to watch if you love Yellowstone, the best Yellowstone characters, and the 1923 cast.