Alright, I am going to admit it: It is arduous to maintain the “Yellowstone” prolonged universe straight. Since 2018, the Western drama about warring factions of a robust Montana household has been a watercooler favourite of TV followers across the nation, and this fall, the unique collection is lastly set to start its final stretch of episodes. Within the years since “Yellowstone” first aired, collection creator Taylor Sheridan has been pulling double, triple, and quadruple obligation, crafting two prequel collection (wagon practice survival story “1883” and Prohibition-set drama “1923”) plus a number of different unrelated exhibits for Paramount+.
Now that the tip of “Yellowstone” is on the horizon, it is price straightening out the various differing stories of what is subsequent for Sheridan and the present’s future. Poke round, and you will see stories about no fewer than 4 “Yellowstone” spin-offs in growth, together with “6666,” “The Madison,” “1944,” and “2024.” It is loads of dates to maintain straight, and each comes with casting rumors galore, however few names have swirled round as persistently as that of “True Detective” alum Matthew McConaughey.
McConaughey’s presence within the “Yellowstone” universe was at one time so firmly reported that he is nonetheless listed as the star of “2024” on IMDb, however in accordance with sources together with Matthew Belloni’s Puck Publication, it appears doubtless that the film star is already on to greener pastures. In August, Belloni clarified that “The Madison,” the spin-off that appears most stable at this level, will doubtless be related ultimately to “Yellowstone,” whereas a unique present (no phrase but on which) will function a number of “Yellowstone” castmates together with Kelly Reilly and Cole Hauser. Confusingly, different stories from across the similar time indicated that Reilly and Hauser’s spin-off could be underneath the “Yellowstone” identify, billed as a sixth season, although feedback from Reilly have since confirmed that the flagship present — no less than as we all know it — can be ending with this season.
At one level, Sheridan says McConaughey wished in on the motion
At any price, after making an attempt to clear the air about which follow-up collection is which, Puck Information writes that McConaughey might be not going to be in any of them. “McConaughey’s involvement within the follow-up was by no means a positive factor, and at this level I am informed he is in all probability out,” the Hollywood insider wrote. Over at TVLine, in the meantime, Michael Ausiello wrote that McConaughey was initially set to star within the sequel collection “2024,” which might be the present that options the return of Reilly, Hauser, and Luke Grimes. That very same article broke the information that Michelle Pfeiffer, Kurt Russell, and Patrick J. Adams had been nearing offers to star in a present (clarified to be “The Madison,” not “2024”), with Ausiello writing that “it is unclear whether or not Russell can be assuming the function that McConaughey was purported to play or taking up a brand new character solely.”
In the case of why McConaughey dropped out, there are just a few factors to think about. To start with, it is unclear that the actor was ever correctly hooked up to the challenge. In June 2023, the actor declined to touch upon a Hollywood Reporter profile of Sheridan that claimed McConaughey was “in late-stage negotiations” for the subsequent installment of the “Yellowstone” story. “He looks like a pure match,” Sheridan informed the outlet, noting that he had “spitballed” some concepts with the star “over time” earlier than McConaughey began watching “Yellowstone” and determined he’d be thinking about a component within the franchise.
This is what we all know for positive about the way forward for the Yellowstone universe
“He was like, ‘I need to do this.’ And by ‘that’ he meant diving right into a uncooked world clashing up towards the fashionable world,” Sheridan defined. “After which I mentioned, ‘Buddy, that we are able to do.'” That is all nicely and good, nevertheless it does not imply a lot till the ink dries on a contract. That does not appear to have occurred, with Puck Information beforehand reporting (by way of Esquire) that McConaughey’s involvement in a future “Yellowstone” present has been “overstated” within the press, and that the actor did not need to signal on if Sheridan could not ship a script. As of February of this 12 months, Esquire and Puck say that the actor hadn’t gotten one, which is not precisely stunning provided that Kevin Costner cited an alleged lack of timeliness with scripts as one motive he left “Yellowstone” within the first place. This information about McConaughey’s hesitance got here after a collection of recent stories positioned the actor as the brand new face of the franchise, all with the main asterisk that he hadn’t formally signed on but.
It might be nice if Sheridan would launch a easy standing replace or assertion setting the previous a number of years’ price of “Yellowstone” spin-off rumors straight, however till that occurs, followers must make do with what is for certain. We all know that “Yellowstone” is coming again for the long-belated second half of season 5 on November 10, 2024. In keeping with the solid, will probably be the present’s final, nevertheless it doubtless will not be the final we see of some key characters. After “Yellowstone” concludes, anyplace from one to 4 spin-off collection appears poised to return subsequent. And at last, no matter does come subsequent will doubtless be star-studded, however in accordance with some stories, McConaughey might not be amongst these stars. Make sense? Alright, alright, alright.
