Rather than continue with Yellowstone season 6, Taylor Sheridan concluded his flagship with the season 5 finale. The enormously popular show ended abruptly after Kevin Costner’s Yellowstone exit, which caused the show to end without its gritty yet beloved protagonist.

Controversy surrounded Costner’s leaving the show permanently, reportedly due to a lack of terms that worked for all parties. Rather than continue without its lead, Sheridan opted for a Yellowstone continuation with Beth and Rip, but a new casting update further muddles the divide between it and Yellowstone season 6.

Beth & Rip’s Spinoff Having A “Kevin Costner Type” Sounds More Like Yellowstone Season 6. A new report revealed that Beth and Rip’s Yellowstone spinoff will reportedly begin filming this summer (via Puck). The report also suggested that the offshoot was “looking to cast a Kevin Costner type that is definitely not Costner to join them.”

While it was exciting to get an update that the offshoot would quickly get off the ground, it suggests Taylor Sheridan wants a cast dynamic similar to Yellowstone’s and is looking for someone to replace Costner. Therefore, Beth and Rip’s spinoff is one step closer to being a blatant Yellowstone continuation rather than a unique project.

There will be apparent separations between the new Beth and Rip spinoff character and Costner’s. John Dutton was Beth’s father and Rip’s father figure, so it’s impossible to replace John Dutton’s dynamic with that of his most loyal family members.

Therefore, the “Kevin Costner type” being scouted for the offshoot will inevitably have a different role in the love birds’ lives since no one can replace the parent John was to them both, and whoever Sheridan casts in the offshoot will likely be associated with Beth and Rip’s ranch outside Dillon, Montana, instead. Still, the casting is formulaic.