Yellowstone is reportedly ending with season 5, though it can still continue through spinoff shows. Following the current generation of the Dutton family, Yellowstone is a modern Western exploring the clan, who owns the largest ranch in Montana. The family faces many threats on their road to the top, as their own drama and conflicts with the Broken Rock Indian reservation hang over the entire state.
While Yellowstone has benefited from many spin-off shows that give the cast and crew the opportunity to show off every aspect of the universe's timeline, it appears that the original show is reaching its end. Sources revealed to Deadline that Yellowstone is looking to end with season 5. However, there are early plans to continue the franchise with another Dutton show, this time led by Oscar winner Matthew McConaughey and several established Yellowstone stars. Part of the issue reportedly comes down to scheduling issues with lead star Kevin Costner. Paramount Network says in a statement:
“We have no news to report. Kevin Costner is a big part of Yellowstone and we hope that’s the case for a long time to come. Thanks to the brilliant mind of Taylor Sheridan, we are always working on franchise expansions of this incredible world he has built. Matthew McConaughey is a phenomenal talent with whom we’d love to partner.”
What Will Happen To The Yellowstone Universe?
Yellowstone might be ending, but the universe is only growing. From the moment of its founding in 1883 to the fighting in 2020 and whatever conflicts arise at the end of the show, there is still a vast amount of space to explore. With so many characters facing off to keep the ranch in Dutton hands, Yellowstone's new shows will be very different.
Some Yellowstone spin-offs, including 1883: The Bass Reeves Story, will not focus on the Duttons at all, instead branching out to look at other characters in the universe. The shift in direction helps to offer new roads for creators to take, even as Costner's show nears its end, whether that be with season 5 or a future run. It can also give the opportunity for future spinoffs to move away from Montana and the Dutton ranch, which can ensure that the setting never grows stale.
Of course, there is no Yellowstone without the Dutton family, so those characters will likely still appear in some fashion. Taylor Sheridan, the series' creator, already knows how Yellowstone will end, meaning that the Paramount Network can already start planning the spinoffs and how they will tie into Yellowstone's final season. Though Costner's series is coming to an end, Yellowstone will live on through the universe it created.
Source: Deadline