When it was announced that the hit television series “Yellowstone” would be coming to an end following its fifth season, fans at least knew that they’d have the already-announced spin-offs to look forward to. Unfortunately, the end of “Yellowstone” also meant the end of star Kevin Costner’s time on the Western show, who instead pivoted to his own “Horizon: An American Saga” series of Western films. Would the “Yellowstone” name and the goodwill generated after five successful seasons be enough to sustain these spin-offs without the star? Well, when one barn door closes, another opens, and in the wake of Costner’s exit, Kurt Russell, Michelle Pfeiffer, and “Suits” star Patrick J. Adams have answered the call. First reported by TVLine, the “Yellowstone” spin-off known as “2024” is set to be retitled “The Madison,” and is allegedly going to follow matriarch Stacy Clyburn and her family after they relocate from New York to Montana. It’s assumed that Pfeiffer will play Clyburn.

The “2024” series was initially rumored to star Matthew McConaughey in a new leading role and would reportedly include the return of Kelly Reilly, Cole Hauser, and Luke Grimes, reprising their roles of Beth Dutton, Rip Wheeler, and Kayce Dutton, respectively. It has not yet been made clear whether or not Kurt Russell is stepping into the role intended for McConaughey or playing a new character. TVLine reports that production is due to begin later this August, with a 2025 premiere following the end of “Yellowstone” season 5 part 2. As of publication, the series’ ensemble is still being finalized, with “Tron: Legacy” and “The Good Doctor” star Beau Garrett already cast.

The name recognition the Yellowstone spin-off needs

Kevin Costner’s addition to “Yellowstone” was a huge part of the show’s initial popularity. Not only did ranch-set drama fill the void of Western television in our current landscape, but getting a household name popular with an audience base often neglected by coastal productions — the so-called “flyover states” and the South — inspired many to tune in at the start. The brainchild of Taylor Sheridan, “Yellowstone” exploded in popularity and remains the most-watched cable series on TV. Michelle Pfeiffer and Patrick J. Adams are certainly great gets for “The Madison,” but Kurt Russell is the real get in this case.

While Russell is known for his powerhouse run in genre films throughout the 1980s like “Escape from New York,” “The Thing,” “Big Trouble in Little China,” and “Tron,” he’s also a beloved dramatic and comedic actor, as well as someone with some serious Western roots. When Russell first began acting as a kid, his breakthrough role came on the Western series “The Travels of Jaimie McPheeters.” Throughout his adult career, he starred in the Western films “Tombstone,” “The Hateful Eight,” and the incredible horror Western, “Bone Tomahawk.” This gives Russell not only credibility with the show’s hardcore fanbase, but because he’s such a beloved actor, it might even inspire some of his fans from his edgier fare to actually tune in.

“Yellowstone” season 5 part 2 is scheduled to premiere on November 10, 2024.