The fate of Yellowstone‘s favourite characters is not final, as finale approaches
Reports this week say Beth and Rip may live on past the end of Yellowstone. Photo: Paramount
As Australia’s legion of Yellowstone fans eagerly await Monday’s final episode, it appears the story may not be over for two of the show’s favourites.
Actors Kelly Reilly and Cole Hauser are reportedly in talks to star in a Yellowstone spin-off series that would continue the story arc of central characters Beth Dutton and Rip Wheeler.
Centring on the dynastic-style Dutton ranching family and their attempts to maintain their sprawling Montana property, Yellowstone has attracted a massive following.
The biggest TV show currently in America, this week’s penultimate episode was watched by 12.1 million people there, while in Australia it forms the tentpole for Stan’s streaming offering.
The long-awaited concluding half of the fifth and final season of Yellowstone was beset by controversy before it aired, with a scheduling disagreement bringing the abrupt departure of central character John Dutton, played by Hollywood heavyweight Kevin Costner.
Since its return, several characters have been killed off and the future of the titular Yellowstone ranch is in doubt leading into next week’s finale.
Executive producer and director Christina Voros has warned that the final episode will come as a surprise to many fans.
“It all makes sense looking backward. But looking forward, you never would have seen it coming,” Varos told The Hollywood Reporter last week.
A spin-off featuring Beth and Rip would signal that at least those two will survive.
Alternatively, there is speculation that talks with Reilly and Hauser signal that the Yellowstone finale will not, in actual fact, be the end of the series.
According to Paramount, series creator Taylor Sheridan will direct the final episode in what will be a lengthy, 86-minute “special season finale event”.
The episode is titled Life Is A Promise and Paramount promised , “The fate of the Yellowstone Dutton ranch is revealed”.
Reilly and Hauser have previously said they’d be open to following Sheridan – who writes each Yellowstone episode – and his story arcs.
“Taylor can figure out how to absolutely continue if he wants to,” Hauser was quoted as saying at the start of this season.
English-born Reilly agreed, adding, “it’s up to him. We trust him. He’s a master storyteller, and we help him tell these characters’ stories, and it’s been such a ride and so electrifying to play and so invigorating”.
“I trust him with wherever he takes [Beth] – whether we’re leaving her where we’ve left her, or we’re going to find her somewhere else, I trust him,” she said.
Sheridan has already extended the so-called Yellowstone universe with two prequels, the origins story 1883 and 1923 – starring Harrison Ford and Helen Mirren – which returns for a second season in February.
Another spin-off in production is The Madison, starring Michelle Pfeiffer and promising to continue exploring the Dutton family dynasty with new characters and locations, as well as some existing characters.
Further additions already announced include 1944, which is expected to follow the lives of the Dutton family during World War II, and 6666, set in Texas and recounting the origins of the real-life Four 6s ranch that features in Yellowstone, and is coincidentally owned by Sheridan.
