Yellowstone, TV’s top-rated drama, may end in spectacular fashion.
Deadline understands that Taylor Sheridan, co-creator and showrunner, Paramount Global and Paramount Network are moving to end their signature show in its current form. But they are plotting a potential franchise extension to continue the Dutton saga, a new show with Matthew McConaughey in talks to star.
It is unclear which of the Yellowstone cast will move over to the McConaughey-led series, but it is expected to include several of the big stars.
“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,” a Paramount Network spokesperson told Deadline.
The crux of the issue with the original Yellowstone series involves star Kevin Costner and disagreements over shooting schedules.
Sources tell Deadline that Costner, who had originally limited himself to 65 days of shooting on Yellowstone, only wanted to shoot for 50 days for the first part of the current season.
But for the second batch of episodes of the current, fifth season of Yellowstone, the actor, who just won best television actor in a drama series at the Golden Globes, only wanted to spend a week shooting.
Costner is directing and starring in his multi-part western epic Horizon, which he co-wrote with Jon Baird that landed at Warner Bros. Pictures and New Line.
Given that Costner plays John Dutton, the patriarch of the Dutton clan, this has been a source of frustration for Sheridan and it is understood to be causing morale problems for the other stars of the show, which includes Luke Grimes, Kelly Reilly, Wes Bentley, Cole Hauser, Kelsey Asbille and Gil Birmingham.
We are told Paramount Network has declined Costner’s most recent proposal and instead has made the decision to move on to the other show, sources said.
What all parties are now wrangling is a Yellowstone franchise extension that Sheridan will write with McConaughey as the star. The True Detective star is currently in negotiations.
(Excerpt) Read more in: Deadline