Considering how much it’s been hyped, I’ll be disappointed if Kurt Russell’s Yellowstone casting doesn’t happen amid all the confusion about the spinoff. Yellowstone previously announced that Kurt Russell would star alongside Michelle Pfeiffer in Taylor Sheridan’s new series vaguely slated for 2025. The series, called The Madison, is Sheridan’s spinoff of the flagship Yellowstone series. It will follow Michelle Pfieffer’s character as she and the rest of the Clyburn family relocate to Montana from New York City after the death of their family patriarch. While the story takes place in the Yellowstone universe, it is separate from the Dutton family.

While The Madison spinoff isn’t the first series to be born out of Sheridan’s Yellowstone flagship, it’s unique that it will take place in the present. The screenwriter previously released two other spinoffs of the Yellowstone story, 1883 and 1923, but both stories follow the Dutton family into the past. The Madison is an exciting opportunity to expand Sheridan’s story within the present, as well as an opportunity to present new actors to the Yellowstone franchise. I hope Kurt Russell’s casting works out because he’s perfect for Taylor Sheridan’s shared Yellowstone universe, the neo-Western empire the screenwriter has built.

Kurt Russell’s Casting Links To Yellowstone’s Sequel & Spinoffs Explained

Kurt Russell Is In Talks For The Madison

I’m cautiously optimistic about Kurt Russell’s potential link to the Yellowstone universe. In June 2024, Yellowstone was eyeing Kurt Russell for the Yellowstone spinoff, and rumors suggested that the Escape from New York actor would take the lead role. However, there was some confusion about whether Russell’s involvement would be for the Yellowstone sequel show or a new show, and the confusion muddled any certainty of Russell’s involvement. It’s since been clarified that the talk of Kurt Russell’s potential participation in the Yellowstone universe was for The Madison, but his involvement isn’t confirmed yet.

If Russell did join The Madison, it would reunite him with his Bone Tomahawk co-star, Lost‘s Matthew Fox, who is joining the cast of The Madison as Paul. The role would land Russell opposite One Fine Day‘s Michelle Pfeiffer, who will lead the series. While there is no definitive comment that Russell will be involved, I’m still excited about other actors joining The Madison cast, especially Pfeiffer. Additional cast members include Patrick J. Adams, Elle Chapman, Beau Garrett, Amiah Miller, and Fox as Paul. Still, it’s odd that Russell’s involvement remains a mystery while other details progress.

Why Kurt Russell Would Be Perfect For The Yellowstone Universe

Kurt Russell Is A Fantastic Western Star

I would be disappointed if Russell didn’t join The Madison at this point because he’s perfect for Yellowstone. His rugged aesthetic and laid-back yet grave demeanor perfectly suit Taylor Sheridan’s world. Russell’s The Madison casting would continue a Yellowstone casting trend that lands standout actors from the 1980s and 1990s in leading roles. For instance, Kevin Costner achieved widespread fame in the 1990s, as did Sam Elliot of 1883 and Demi Moore of Landman. In other words, since Kevin Costner left Yellowstone, The Madison needs a proper leading man to be his pseudo-replacement, and Russell works.

Kurt Russell has already proved to be a robust Western star and has memorable work in the genre. Russell starred in Tombstone with Val Kilmer in 1993, and in 2015, he was fantastic in Quentin Tarantino’s The Hateful Eight and the cannibal Western Bone Tomahawk. Russell can lead a Yellowstone series, following in the footsteps of Kevin Costner and Harrison Ford. Russell would pair well with Michelle Pfeiffer’s leading character, rivaling Harrison Ford and Helen Miren’s Jacob and Cara Dutton from 1924 or Tim McGraw and Faith Hill’s James and Margaret Dutton from 1883.

Kurt Russell In The Yellowstone Universe Would Have A Kevin Costner Connection

Kevin Costner Connects To Russell’s Tombstone

Russell was Costner’s Tombstone replacement and would be his replacement again for the Yellowstone franchise.

If Kurt Russell were to take on a leading role in the Yellowstone universe, the casting would hold a fascinating connection to a previous dynamic between Kurt Russell and Kevin Costner. When Kurt Russell appeared as Wyatt Earp in the biographical drama Tombstone, he featured in the lead role alongside Val Kilmer, Sam Elliott, and Charlton Heston. That said, Kevin Costner was initially slated to star as Earp, a lawman of the American West on which the film centered. As such, Russell was Costner’s Tombstone replacement in the 1990s and would be his replacement again for the Yellowstone franchise.

The need for a modern-day Yellowstone spinoff is necessitated by Kevin Costner leaving the franchise, which will effectively end the current chapter of Dutton history. Whoever stars in The Madison will fill Costner’s shoes, leading the Yellowstone franchise in its present-day setting. The connection between Costner and Russell is fascinating and proves that the latter is similar enough to the Yellowstone star to take his place leading the franchise. Still, Kurt Russell would stand out in his own right if he joined the Yellowstone roster. After all this talk, it would be a massive letdown if he didn’t.