When Taylor Sheridan’s Yellowstone first debuted on Paramount in 2018, fans had no idea they were beginning a love story with the Dutton family or how in-depth and intertwined they’d soon become with cowboys, ranch hands, and the firey Beth Dutton. However, one person knew all along, and that’s the man behind the story himself: Sheridan.
With two prequels already in existence and the core series, Yellowstone, airing new episodes of its fifth season this summer, there are still many stories to tell. Sheridan has another season of 1923 on the horizon, and he’s also considering a spin-off for the Dutton family of the 1940s and the 1960s. With each prequel and spin-off, we learn more about the family, their dedication to one another, and how they’d do anything to keep the land in their name.
Of course, there are more pieces to the puzzle than just the core family. While the Duttons are played by greats like Kevin Costner, Helen Mirren, Harrison Ford, and Kelly Reilly, to name a few, their ranch hands and confidants are just as important. They’re also characters that may be at the heart of future spin-offs like the series Sheridan is planning for the 6666 Ranch, where Jefferson White’s Jimmy has made a home.
With plenty of spin-offs, prequels, and, as we said, a story to tell, it’s not surprising that the rumor mill often spins with ideas for who could portray different characters and bring new tales to life. After a recent announcement about Sheridan having his eyes on McConaughey for a future spin-off, we began thinking of five characters who had been teased for spin-offs or actors we’d love to see join the larger-than-life television realm.
From the talented Matthew McConaughey to the legendary Jeffrey Dean Morgan. we’d love to see some of the finest in the business join the Yellowverse, be it as Duttons or as Dutton-adjacent characters. Here are five characters we’re keeping our eyes on for the future.
Matthew McConaughey
Matthew McConaughey might be headed to the Yellowverse in some way, and the news had fans dreaming up possibilities for him to swoop into the Dutton realm since it broke early this week. While no official statements have been made from anyone at Paramount or at camp McConaughey, it’s exciting that he might be someone on Sheridan’s radar for a role in a spin-off.
We talked about potential roles for McConaughey in a spin-off earlier this week, and after having some time to mull it over, we’re really hoping for a 6666 Ranch character or for McConaughey to appear in a prequel set in the 1960s. Of course, there’s always the option of a completely new spin-off, and with the popularity of the Dutton family, nothing’s out of the question. Fans can’t get enough of the Yellowstone Dutton Ranch, the family who owns it, or the incredibly well-crafted storylines Sheridan puts together.
McConaughey would bring a Southern drawl, a relaxed nature, and a valuable storytellers voice to a spin-off, and we’d love to see him in any role, but we’d most enjoy seeing him as a Dutton himself or a close confidant of the family.
Jeffrey Dean Morgan
Hear us out, this is more of a dream than a tease, but you’ve got to follow us down the rabbit hole. When Jeffrey Dean Morgan and his perfect wife, Hilarie Burton-Morgan, went to the Burns Cowboy Shop to get fitted for stellar cowboy hats, fans went wild. Jeffrey and Hilarie look like they could walk into any western saloon and turn all of the bar attendees into swooning neanderthals, but we digress; it’s more about the fact that they also look prepped and ready to walk into a western of another kind: perhaps a new project?
Jeff’s Tweet was followed up by a post from his wife as she gave heart eyes to the cowboy in her living room, and she teased that they’ve got something exciting in the works. Die-hard fans of the pair know they live on a farm, have animals we all obsess over, and they’ve recently come out with MF Libations straight from their Mischief Farm. With an MF Blackberry Gin and an MF Bonfire Smoky Rye, the pair even offer cocktail recipes for best enjoying their delicious beverages. They’re obviously hard at work at the farm and need hats and boots to keep up, so we’re not saying that a trip to a hat shop is out of the ordinary for this pair.
What really piqued our interest was that it’s the same shop that fits the hats for Taylor Sheridan’s Yellowverse, and while it isn’t out of the ordinary for those in the business to go to the best of the best, we’re still keeping our eyes on it. Call it hopelessly optimistic if you want, we’ll accept it, but can you imagine Jeffrey joining the Dutton family in some regard? It would be otherworldly! If all we’ll ever have is a snap in a hat shop with a shout to the Yellowstone universe, we guess we’ll take that too.
Jefferson White
This one is less of a tease; in fact, we’re just waiting on confirmation that Jefferson White’s Jimmy Hurdstram will be a lead storyteller in the Yellowstone spin-off focused on the 6666 Ranch. We’ve seen a lot of character growth since he left the Yellowstone to learn how to cowboy at the Texas ranch, and it’s been an absolute delight. Not only is he a stronger man for the changes he’s made, but he also found love and settled down in a beautiful little house on the land.
His wife, Emily, has given him something to look forward to after a hard day’s work, and their chemistry is a fan favorite. There were earlier storylines where some fans found it hard to root for Jimmy, but to see his progression is something special. He’s the kind of guy you’d want on your team, the sort of character you find yourself wanting to see more of.
Yellowstone has given us peeks at the 6666 Ranch in various episodes as of late, ultimately preparing us to spend more time there when Sheridan gets his next storyline in the works.
Ryan Bingham
Ryan Bingham, Yellowstone‘s Walker, is a character that fans have had a love/hate…or more of a tolerate/hate relationship with since the very beginning. From spending episodes wishing he’d be the next person to get a one-way ticket to the Dutton train station to speaking openly about their disdain for Walker, he hasn’t always been the easiest character to root for. However, there are moments throughout the series when Walker does redeem himself.
When we first meet him, he’s being picked up by Rip Wheeler at the Montana State Correctional Facility, and that set the standard for his time as a ranch hand there. Ryan has been on the fence about where he stands with the family, so it wouldn’t surprise viewers if he made the shift to Texas. Walker is a good ranch hand, and he’d be able to do the job necessary in Texas; plus, we’ve seen a bond of sorts form between Jimmy and Walker, albeit unexpected, and they would work well together.
Would Walker leave the Yellowstone, or would the Yellowstone let Walker go? Those questions would have to be addressed before we saw Bingham leave for a spin-off, but John Dutton has a reason for every decision he makes. If he felt Walker would be better suited at the Texas ranch, that’s where Walker would go.
Barry Corbin
Barry Corbin is a legend in the entertainment industry and a cowboy in his own right. He’s talented and well-acted and brings his a-game to every film and television series he’s been a part of. Famous for many roles throughout the entertainment realm, many fell in love with Corbin as Coach Whitey Durham in One Tree Hill.
He already made an appearance in the Yellowstone universe as a guest star when we saw Jimmy first reach his new home at the 6666 Ranch. Alongside Corbin is the late and legendary Buster Welch, whose impact on the entire western genre is something larger than life. Welch was an inductee into the NCHA Members Hall of Fame, the National Cutting Horse Association Riders Hall of Fame, and the Texas Cowboy Hall of Fame. Their shared scene was a fan favorite and a moment of laughter for fans as Jimmy awoke from a midday nap hearing the cowboys chatting.
With Corbin already appearing in Yellowstone, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see him act in the 6666 Ranch spin-off. We’d love to see him in a more significant role in the spin-off, as a mentor to Jimmy and a character we get much more time with.
Here’s to the ever-evolving Yellowverse. May we enjoy many more years in the Dutton family realm, and don’t forget that Yellowstone returns with new episodes this summer. You can also stream 1883 in full on Paramount Plus and watch the first five episodes of 1923 on the same platform. Peacock houses the first four seasons of Yellowstone, and we’ll keep you updated with all upcoming spin-offs and sequels.