Will there be a Yellowstone season 6?
John Dutton may be gone, but does this mean the end of Taylor Sheridan's hit Western?
*Warning: Contains spoilers for Yellowstone season 5*
Yellowstone season 5 has come to a dramatic end, revealing the fate of the ranch at the heart of the programme and naturally, fans are wondering whether a sixth season could be on the cards.
Since premiering in 2018, the drama revolving around an aging rancher called John Dutton has become a huge hit for Paramount.
While season 5 was previously announced as the show's final outing, a teaser for the season finale prompted speculation amongst fans that we could be in for another instalment.
The teaser said: "Only one episode left until the season finale of Yellowstone."
Fans online were quick to notice the use of "season finale" as opposed to "series finale", speculating that this could mean a sixth season is on the way.
So, what do we know so far? Will there be a sixth season and when would it arrive on Paramount Plus? Read on for everything you need to know about a possible Yellowstone season 6.
Will there be a Yellowstone season 6?
The truth is, we don't yet entirely know whether Yellowstone will be returning for a sixth season.
Back in May 2023, it was confirmed that the show's fifth season was intended to be its last, with a sequel series, rumoured to be led by Matthew McConaughey, set to take its place.
However, since then a lot has happened, including the departure of Kevin Costner as John Dutton.
According to Deadline, a new spin-off led by Kelly Reilly, who plays Beth Dutton, and Cole Hauser, who portrays her husband, Rip Wheeler, is in the works.
The publication added that the spin-off will “likely feature other cast members from the mothership series.”
It was previously reported back in August that Reilly and Hauser would carry on as the leads of Yellowstone season 6, but it appears that negotiations have morphed into a spin-off.
However, the publication highlighted that this doesn't mean a sixth season of Yellowstone has been ruled out, but rather that the current focus is on this new series.
Thomas Rainwater star Gil Birmingham previously told RadioTimes.com that season 5 would end on a cliffhanger, and wouldn't wrap everything up as you might imagine a series finale would.
He said: "The lives of these characters will still go on [even if it's not renewed]. So how we come to the place that we do for the resolution on this season is a little bit of a cliffhanger, a lot of a cliffhanger. We don't want to spoil it for the fans, so tune in and find out."
When pressed on the future of the show, Birmingham said that they're "just focused on this season".
"We take it one season at a time and hope that they [the fans] stay with us and that they're entertained as much as they have been all along."
Most recently, following a dramatic 11th episode of season 5, which saw Dawn Olivieri's Sarah meet her end, director and executive producer Christina Alexandra Voros said that the final three episodes of the season would in fact lead to an ending, whether it means it is the final season or not.
She told Variety: "I think this last batch of episodes leads us to the end of an era. It’s impossible to talk about it in any detail without tipping my hat towards things to come.
"But I think [co-creator and writer] Taylor [Sheridan] has managed to — and I’m really not sure how he’s done it, I think it’s sort of masterful — bring the ending to something that feels both shocking and fated at the same time.
"You need to get to the end of the story to fully understand everything that has come before."
It seems that that sixth season is still very much up in the air. We will keep this page updated as and when we get any more concrete news.
When would a Yellowstone season 6 be released?
With the future of Yellowstone so up in the air, it's hard to say exactly when a sixth season would be released.
There was a long break between the first and second part of season 5, of almost two years, but it would be difficult to read that as an example.
Previous seasons before that tended to arrive around a year after one another, so if the show were renewed, here's hoping the production could get back to a similar release schedule, and we could see new episodes around late 2025 or early 2026.
We will keep this page updated if we get any further news.
Who would be back to star in a Yellowstone season 6?
We don't yet know who would be back to star in Yellowstone season 6, not least because it hasn't been confirmed, but also because season 5 has yet to come to an end, and some characters could still meet their ends.
However, we do know one character we wouldn't expect to be back - Kevin Costner's John Dutton. The character was killed off at the start of season 5 part 2, after Costner left the series to produce and star in his Horizon film series.
Those who seem more likely to return include:
- Kelly Reilly as Beth Dutton
- Luke Grimes as Kayce Dutton
- Cole Hauser as Rip Wheeler
- Wes Bentley as Jamie Dutton
- Kelsey Asbille Chow as Monica Dutton
- Gil Birmingham as Thomas Rainwater
- Brecken Merrill as Tate Dutton
- Jefferson White as Jimmy Hurdstrom
- Lainey Wilson as Abby
- Lilli Kay as Clara Brewer
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Is there a trailer for a Yellowstone season 6?
As Yellowstone hasn't officially been renewed for a sixth season yet, there isn't a trailer available. We will update this page if and when a trailer is released.
In the meantime, you can rewatch the trailer for the most recent batch of episodes, season 5 part 2, right here now.
Yellowstone is available to stream on Paramount Plus. Get a seven day free Paramount Plus trial at Amazon Prime Video.
Check out more of our Drama coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Authors
James Hibbs is a Drama Writer for Radio Times, covering programmes across both streaming platforms and linear channels. He previously worked in PR, first for a B2B agency and subsequently for international TV production company Fremantle. He possesses a BA in English and Theatre Studies and an NCTJ Level 5 Diploma in Journalism.