Tim McGraw, Faith Hill, and Sam Elliott appear in full Old West garb in first-look images of the upcoming series 1883. The Western will serve as a prequel to the hit drama Yellowstone. Created by Hell or High Water screenwriter Taylor Sheridan and producer John Linson, Yellowstone debuted on Paramount Network in 2018. The series follows the powerful Dutton family, owners of the largest ranch in the United States, as they butt heads with nearby Native reservations, national parks, and each other. Kevin Costner, Wes Bentley, Kelly Reilly, and Luke Grimes star as members of the Dutton family.
1883 will trace the humble beginnings of the Dutton clan. The show promises to be a covered wagon-style epic, tracking the Duttons’ trek from Texas to Montana. In August, Tim McGraw and Faith Hill were announced as the series’ leads, with the real-life couple playing the Dutton patriarch, James, and matriarch, Margaret. Known primarily as musicians, the country singers are no strangers to acting; McGraw starred alongside Sandra Bullock in The Blind Side and Hill can be seen in The Stepford Wives. The Dutton family’s arduous journey is led by Civil War veteran Shea Brennan. Brennan is played by Sam Elliott, who has appeared in a number of Westerns, including Buffalo Girls and Tombstone.
McGraw, Hill, and Elliott can be seen showing off their cowboy credentials in first-look images from the set of 1883 via EW. Shot in the Fort Worth area, the photos show the actors immersed in the dusty environs, the set replete with period details and covered wagons. Especially impressive are the detailed 19th-century costumes, which can’t have been fun to wear in the 100-degree Texas sun. In addition to McGraw, Hill, and Elliott, the photos highlight actors LaMonica Garrett and Isabel May. Meanwhile, Elliott’s grizzled visage looks right at home on horseback. Check out the photos below:
In addition to the main cast, it was announced in September that Billy Bob Thornton would join 1883 as a guest star. Known for his appearances in Sling Blade, Bad Santa, and Goliath, Thornton will take on the role of U.S. Marshal Jim Courtright, suggesting that there may be some criminal activity on the Duttons’ journey. Also joining the cast are Garrett, seen above, and Audie Rick, the pioneers’ young son. Isabel May plays the teenage Dutton daughter and narrates the series.
For concerned fans who fear that 1883 means the end of Yellowstone, they need not worry; Yellowstone is returning for season 4 on November 7. Paramount Network released an explosive trailer for Yellowstone’s upcoming season back in September. With 1883 set to debut on Paramount+ on December 9, soon the network will host overlapping tales of the Dutton family, not unlike the ongoing collection of Walking Dead series. It will be interesting to see if and how Sheridan juggles his multiple Dutton series, or if 1883 will vary significantly in tone from its modern-day forebear. Fans can tune into the multigenerational, multiseries Dutton epic this winter.
Source: EW