Dutton Ranch Confirms Major Yellowstone Change In Season 2

Published Aug 27, 2026, 1:45 PM EDT Liz Hersey is an Editor and Critic for ScreenRant's TV team, editing, reviewing, writing, and creating content about the iconic shows you love to watch. She began her editing career at ScreenRant in 2019, shortly after joining the site as a Writer that same year. With a passion for all things books, Liz frequently attends Toronto literary events and conferences, and loves interacting with her book lover community. In addition to being an avid reader of the romance and thriller genres, Liz is a writer of several short stories, and is currently at work on a young adult witch novel. When she's not working, reading, or writing, Liz can be found seeing movies at her local cinema, attending live jazz events, or curling up on the couch to binge her favorite TV shows. You can reach her at liz.h@screenrant.com. Sign in to your ScreenRant account Taylor Sheridan's Yellowstone legacy continues to grow with its spinoffs, and Dutton Ranch season 2 is about to get even better. Thus far, the Yellowstone franchise contains two Dutton family prequels, 1883 and 1923; two sequel series, Dutton Ranch and Marshals; and more in the works at various stages of development. Dutton Ranch Season 1 Interview with Cole Hauser, Cast & EP Premiering on Paramount+ in May 2026, Dutton Ranch centers on Beth Dutton (Kelly Reilly) and Rip Wheeler (Cole Hauser), as the Yellowstone couple leaves Montana behind to start their titular ranch in Rio Paloma, Texas. Unlike Yellowstone, Beth and Rip are the scrappy underdogs in Dutton Ranch, forced to contend with devastating setbacks, their troubled adopted teenage son, and a formidable competitor whose dark secrets threaten everything the pair holds dear. Though reviews for Dutton Ranch were largely positive, and the show's inaugural season sits at 89% on Rotten Tomatoes, critics and audiences alike found something to be missing from the Yellowstone spinoff. As entertaining as it is, Dutton Ranch season 1 lacks the intensity and gravitas of its game-changing neo-Western predecessor, and a big reason for that is likely because Sheridan wasn't in the writers' room. As a whole, Sheridan took a largely hands-off approach to Dutton Ranch, serving only as executive producer, with Chad Feehan as showrunner. However, amidst clashes with Sheridan, Reilly, and Hauser, Feehan departed the position before the Dutton Ranch premiere and has been replaced by Benjamin Cavell. Not only that, but Reilly confirmed to THR that Sheridan is set to be involved in the creative process for Dutton Ranch season 2. Given that Sheridan's vision was so integral in Yellowstone ​​​​​​becoming such a hit, this is only a good thing for the Beth and Rip spinoff. Beth & Rip Will Feel More Like Themselves With Sheridan's Dutton Ranch Season 2 Involvement At the start of Dutton Ranch season 1, Beth and Rip were considerably more subdued versions of the Yellowstone characters we had come to know and love. To a degree, this makes sense, as their loyalty to John Dutton (Kevin Costner) — and the dangers that go along with it — was such a core part of their identity. With him gone, they could find some peace. However, this isn't what fans tuned into a Beth and Rip spinoff to see. We wanted fiery Beth and her eviscerating one-liners; we wanted badass Rip, the violent enforcer. Even as things heated up in the lead-up to the Dutton Ranch season 1 finale, the show still didn't feel as intense as Yellowstone. The Sheridan-verse · Ranch AssessmentTaylor SheridanTrivia Challenge 🏠YellowstoneProtect the ranch 🐴1883The Oregon Trail 🌾1923Drought & dust 🔒KingstownPrison politics 🎼Tulsa KingMade man, new town SADDLE UP → 01 The Dutton family has controlled the largest contiguous cattle ranch in the United States for over a century. In which state is the Yellowstone Dutton Ranch located? A Wyoming B Montana C Idaho D Colorado ✓ Correct! The Yellowstone Dutton Ranch sits near the border of Yellowstone National Park in Montana. The show is filmed primarily in Montana, with the real-life Chief Joseph Ranch in Darby serving as the Dutton homestead. ✗ Wrong trail, cowboy! The answer is Montana. The Dutton Ranch borders Yellowstone National Park in Big Sky Country. While the rugged landscape could pass for Wyoming or Idaho, the show is set — and largely filmed — in Montana. NEXT → 02 John Dutton is the iron-willed patriarch who will stop at nothing to protect his family’s land. Which Oscar-winning actor portrayed him for the first four seasons of Yellowstone? A Sam Elliott B Josh Brolin C Kevin Costner D Kurt Russell ✓ Correct! Kevin Costner brought gravitas and quiet intensity to John Dutton, anchoring Yellowstone as one of the most-watched shows on cable television. His departure ahead of Season 5B became one of the biggest stories in TV. ✗ Wrong trail, cowboy! The answer is Kevin Costner. While Sam Elliott did appear in 1883, Josh Brolin has his own Sheridan series (Outer Range isn’t Sheridan’s), and Kurt Russell hasn’t joined the Sheridan-verse. Costner defined John Dutton. NEXT → 03 In the prequel series 1883, a Civil War veteran leads his family on a brutal wagon-train journey from Texas to Montana to find a new home. What is the name of this original Dutton patriarch? A James Dutton B Jacob Dutton C John Dutton Sr. D Emmett Dutton ✓ Correct! James Dutton, played by Tim McGraw, is the Civil War veteran who leads his wife Margaret and their children on the perilous journey west. His daughter Elsa narrates the series, and the family’s arrival in Montana establishes the Yellowstone Ranch. ✗ Wrong trail, cowboy! The answer is James Dutton. Jacob Dutton is the character Harrison Ford plays in 1923 — James’s brother. John Dutton Sr. doesn’t appear until later generations, and Emmett Dutton doesn’t exist in the Sheridan-verse. NEXT → 04 On the Dutton Ranch, certain cowboys receive a permanent mark of loyalty — a hot-iron brand seared into their skin that signifies a blood oath to the ranch. What symbol is this feared brand? A A “D” inside a circle B A horseshoe C A skull and crossbones D The letter “Y” ✓ Correct! The branded “Y” is the Yellowstone Ranch’s livestock mark, but for ranch hands, wearing it on their chest means a lifelong oath of silence and loyalty. “Taking someone to the train station” is what happens to those who betray it. ✗ Wrong trail, cowboy! The answer is the letter “Y” — for Yellowstone. The brand is both a ranch identifier and a mark of absolute loyalty. Characters like Rip, Kayce, and Jimmy all bear the “Y” brand, signifying they’ve sworn their lives to the ranch. NEXT → 05 In 1923, the Dutton family battles drought, Prohibition, and encroaching modernity during the Great Depression era. Which legendary Hollywood actor plays patriarch Jacob Dutton? A Robert Redford B Harrison Ford C Clint Eastwood D Tommy Lee Jones ✓ Correct! Harrison Ford stars as Jacob Dutton alongside Helen Mirren as his wife Cara. Ford’s casting marked his first major television role and brought massive star power to the expanding Sheridan-verse. The series is set during Prohibition and the early Depression. ✗ Wrong trail, cowboy! The answer is Harrison Ford. In his first major TV role, Ford plays Jacob Dutton, brother of James Dutton from 1883. Helen Mirren stars opposite him as Cara Dutton. Their star power helped make 1923 Paramount+’s biggest premiere. NEXT → 06 Beth Dutton’s volatile love story with a tough ranch foreman is one of Yellowstone’s most beloved storylines. The two eventually marry in a surprise ceremony. Who is Beth’s husband? A Lloyd Pierce B Walker C Rip Wheeler D Jimmy Hurdstrom ✓ Correct! Rip Wheeler, played by Cole Hauser, is John Dutton’s most loyal enforcer and Beth’s husband. Taken in by John as a teenager after a traumatic past, Rip would do anything for the Dutton family — and his fierce devotion to Beth became a fan-favorite romance. ✗ Wrong trail, cowboy! The answer is Rip Wheeler. Lloyd Pierce is the bunkhouse elder, Walker is a ranch hand and musician, and Jimmy Hurdstrom is the hapless cowboy who eventually gets sent to the 6666 Ranch in Texas. Only Rip won Beth’s wild heart. NEXT → 07 In Mayor of Kingstown, a family serves as power brokers in a Michigan town where the prison industry is the only business. Which family navigates this dark world of incarceration and corruption? A The McLusky family B The Reilly family C The Kingsley family D The Dutton family ✓ Correct! The McLusky family, led by Mike McLusky (Jeremy Renner), acts as unofficial mediators between prisoners, gangs, police, and politicians in Kingstown, Michigan. The show is one of Sheridan’s grittiest explorations of the American justice system. ✗ Wrong trail, cowboy! The answer is the McLusky family. Jeremy Renner stars as Mike McLusky, who inherits the role of “mayor” — an unofficial power broker between inmates, gangs, and law enforcement. The Duttons are Yellowstone’s dynasty, not Kingstown’s. NEXT → 08 One Dutton sibling is an adopted son and ambitious lawyer who frequently clashes with his family — sometimes even conspiring against them. His complex loyalty drives much of the show’s drama. Who is he? A Kayce Dutton B Lee Dutton C Tate Dutton D Jamie Dutton ✓ Correct! Jamie Dutton, played by Wes Bentley, is the adopted son and Harvard-educated lawyer whose desperate need for his father’s approval and political ambition create some of Yellowstone’s most dramatic betrayals. His rivalry with Beth is legendary. ✗ Wrong trail, cowboy! The answer is Jamie Dutton. Kayce is John’s biological youngest son (a former Navy SEAL), Lee is the eldest son who dies in Season 1, and Tate is Kayce’s young son. Only Jamie is the adopted lawyer who conspires against the family. REVEAL MY SCORE → Round-Up CompleteYour Ranch Record / 8 Are you a ranch foreman — or headed straight to the train station? ↻ RIDE AGAIN Both Kelly Reilly and Rip actor Cole Hauser pointed to the difficulties of not acting off a Sheridan script, with Reilly telling THR, "I was very uncertain of what this would be without his words. I didn’t know if it was gonna work," and Hauser confessing to EW that "It certainly was a challenge." The actors clearly have a deep creative bond with Sheridan, so his involvement sets up Dutton Ranch season 2 to be a more harmonious, fulfilling filming experience that ought to pay off in the finished product. Dutton Ranch Season 2 Is Fixing Season 1's Behind-The-Scenes Problems In addition to Sheridan's absence, Reilly and Hauser also struggled with Feehan's vision for Dutton Ranch. Though the actors' public comments have remained professional, and they've expressed pride in what everyone accomplished with season 1, it's obvious they think there's room for improvement, with Reilly telling THR, "I feel excited about a season two because I want it to be better. I want it to be great." Dutton Ranch cast member Ed Harris, who plays kindhearted vet Everett McKinney in the series, has also spoken out about his problems with season 1. Harris was unhappy filming Dutton Ranch, saying he "felt underused and inconsequential," and that the writers didn't really take his comments to heart. He's contractually obligated to return for season 2, where he's been told he'll have more to do, and hopefully, Sheridan and new showrunner Cavell will make good on that promise. It's a good sign that Hauser and Reilly have sung Cavell's praises, with the Rip Wheeler actor saying, "He’s somebody I trust with my life," and Reilly describing Cavell and longtime Yellowstone and Dutton Ranch executive producer and director Cristina Voros as "an A-team." With production on Dutton Ranch season 2 set to commence in early 2027, here's hoping for a more peaceful set and a bloodier show. Dutton Ranch Specifications Release Date 2026-05-15 Rating TV-MA Genres Western (Genre), Drama (Genre) Network Paramount Network (Network), Paramount+ (Network) Showrunner Chad Feehan (Person) Cast Cole Hauser (Person), Kelly Reilly (Person), Finn Little (Person), Juan Pablo Raba (wm-7495941 | Person), Jai Courtney (Person), J.R. Villarreal (wm-71387989 | Person), Marc Menchaca (wm-7605001 | Person), Natalie Alyn Lind (Person), Ed Harris (Person), Annette Bening (Person), Hart Denton (wm-76358746 | Person), Berto Colon (wm-71097840 | Person), Morgan Wade (Person), Josh Stewart (Person), Cooper Tomlinson (wm-710058069 | Person), Jessica Belkin (wm-73434940 | Person), James Eddie (wm-710121446 | Person), Sterlin English (Person), Nakoa DeCoite (Person), Kyle James (wm-79186949 | Person), Maritza Guerrero (wm-78986528 | Person), Robert Ashker Kraft (wm-79748340 | Person), Bismark Quintanilla Jr. (wm-711043123 | Person), Cindy Creekmore (wm-71170806 | Person), Bucky Etheridge (Person) Directors Christina Alexandra Voros (wm-71164566 | Person) Creator(s) Chad Feehan (Person) Writers Jacob Forman (wm-71391405 | Person), Hilary Bettis (wm-79902885 | Person), Chad Feehan (Person), Hayley Tibbenham (Person), J. Todd Scott (Person), K.C. 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