The end of an era…

We’ve reached the end of the road to another “Yellowstone Origin Story” with the two-hour series finale of 1923…

We spent two seasons with the Dutton’s at their ranch, during the prohibition era, and ran in 1923 by patriarch Jacob Dutton (Harrison Ford) and his wife Cara Dutton (Helen Mirren), and saw first hand, that they have indeed fought for the ranch for generations. We saw the second generation of the Dutton Ranch take on that fight long before Yellowstone patriarch John Dutton III (Kevin Costner), and Dutton land rival and sometimes partner, Chief Thomas Rainwater (Gil Birmingham) began their fight. We also saw the journey of Chief Rainwater’s presumed great-grandmother, Teonna Rainwater (Aminah Nieves), who also played a crucial role in establishing the Plenty Clouds as an ancestral bloodline, as she escaped to freedom from the Indian Schools of North Dakota. 

While we now know the fate of the Yellowstone Dutton family, and their ranch in 2025 after the series finale this past winter, there is still much to be learned about the Dutton family history in 1923. 

The series finale provides answers to Spencer Dutton’s (Brandon Skelnar) two season journey home to save the Dutton Ranch, as well as if he’s finally reunited with his wife Alexandra (Julia Schlaepfer) in Montana, along with questions answered about John Dutton III’s linage, and thereby growing another branch on the Yellowstone Dutton Family Tree.

Developing Dutton History…

While the original series Yellowstone has ended along with 1923, series creator and writer Taylor Sheridan still has more in store for the Dutton family and their origins. The Yellowstone franchise is not ending with the conclusion of season 5, but rather evolving into a wider universe with multiple spin-offs and sequel series planned, in development or currently in production. The sequel series’ include one starring Kelly Reilly and Cole Hauser as Beth and Rip presumably taking place at their new ranch in Texas where we left them with their adopted son Carter (Finn Little), and is expected to feature other cast members from the original series, and Yellowstone will be included in the title. There is also another sequel series in development for the CBS network starring Luke Grimes as Kayce Dutton, who stayed in Montana, and on the land that once was Dutton owned through a deal made with Rainwater, and will likely continue his story with his wife Monica Dutton (Kelsey Asbille), and son Tate Dutton (Brecken Merrill).

Sheridan has other spin-offs and sequels in the works that include the next official Dutton Family spin-off 1944, that will expand on the Dutton family saga and take place during World War II and air on Paramount+. While the plot details are being kept tightly under wraps, 1944 will explore the Dutton family during wartime and how WWII impacted the iconic Yellowstone Ranch. The ending for 1923 leaves open for the story to possibly still continue with Spencer Dutton and his son John Dutton II, who grows up to be the father of Yellowstone‘s John Dutton III (Costner). Given that 1944 takes place 21 years after 1923, John Dutton II would be a young man in his early 20s, so while he would be the ideal lead character, there is also a chance we will see him fighting in WWII based on his age, while Spencer remains at the Yellowstone Ranch. While this would give viewers the most transparent insight yet to finding out how the Dutton legacy was shaped by WWII and the challenges the family faced as the war’s seismic changes affected America and the world. It’s unclear if Brandon Sklenar will reprise his role as Spencer, but he has already expressed interest in returning to the Yellowstone franchise.

Developing Montana History…

Off the Dutton Ranch, but still within the franchise of Yellowstone is the spin-off originally titled 2024 and set in the present day. Matthew McConaughey was initially rumored and confirmed to be starring in the Yellowstone spin-off series, but he ultimately dropped out of the project due to scheduling and contract challenges. The series is now called The Madison, and will now star Michelle Pfeiffer and Kurt Russell, with other cast members announced as Patrick J. Adams, Matthew Fox, Elle Chapman, and Beau Garrett, and is rumored to have other Yellowstone characters making an appearance, like Beth and Rip. Pfeiffer is also an executive producer on the series. The new story in the Yellowstone franchise will follow a New York City family who move to the Madison River valley of Montana during the same time frame as Yellowstone and explore the themes of grief and human connection. A premiere date for The Madison has not been announced. 

Lastly, not of the Yellowstone Ranch, but from Yellowstone is the spin off series 6666, which will focus on the Four Sixes Ranch in Texas. As we remember that is where Yellowstone‘s Jimmy Hurdstrom (Jefferson White) ended up after John Dutton III sent Jimmy to work with Travis Wheatley (Sheridan), it is also where he met his wife, Emily, who also works on the Four Sixes Ranch as a Veterinarian. We can expect White to be part of the series, if not the lead of 6666. The Four Sixes Ranch is a real ranch that Taylor Sheridan owns and operates. Sheridan filmed parts of the Yellowstone origin story 1883 starring Tim McGraw as James Dutton and Faith Hill as Margaret Dutton, the founding Dutton famliy who started the Yellowstone Ranch, on the Four Sixes Ranch land. The series is scheduled to premiere on Paramount Network. A premeiere date for 6666 has not been announced.

Sheridan remains successful with a number of series outside of the Yellowstone universe for Paramount+ with series like Mayor of Kingstown starring Jeremy Renner, which has a new season in production. There is also Lioness with Nicole Kidman and Zoe Saldaña, Tulsa King with Sylvester Stallone, which also has a new season in production, and Landman with Billy Bob Thornton, Demi Moore, and John Hamm, which was just renewed for a second season. Its safe to say Taylor Sheridan and the Dutton legacy have miles to go yet on horseback over at Paramount! You can read all about the Yellowstone legacy through its origin stories 1883 and 1923 in the Featured Televison Blog section of Movies to History, or by clicking on the title links in this paragraph.

Below you will find an updated Dutton Family Tree to include the developments to John Dutton III’s genealogy in the series finale of 1923:

1923 is available now with a subscription to Paramount+…