Yellowstone has become a cultural phenomenon, and its prequel, 1883, had the chance to become just as successful. Created by Taylor Sheridan, the franchise revolves around the idea of a modern-style western. It follows the Dutton family as they fight to gain and retain the rights to the Yellowstone ranch in Montana. While Yellowstone focuses on more modern times, Sheridan created 1883 to go back in time — as the title suggests — to show the origin of the Dutton family.

The 1883 spinoff premiered in December 2021 and ran for ten episodes through February 2022. Despite high hopes for an 1883 Season 2, the follow-up never materialized. Instead, the story was partly continued by 1923, another Yellowstone story. Considering that the show was critically acclaimed enough to be nominated for three Primetime Emmy Awards, it is somewhat bizarre that Season 2 never materialized. It’s important to realize, however, there are good reasons why 1883 Season 2 didn’t happen.

Updated on July 29, 2025 by Robbie Robinson: While the growing Yellowstone franchise continues, some fans have had to say goodbye to favorites, such as 1883. Not every show is destined for a second season, but that has stopped fans from hoping for a return of some kind. This article has been updated to discuss Yellowstone’s popularity and how 1883 holds up in comparison to the mainline series and other spinoffs.

The History of Yellowstone Spinoffs

1883 Was the First of Many Yellowstone Spinoff Series

Given the wild success of Yellowstone, having a few spinoff series was fairly inevitable. 1883 was only the first of them, as the 10-hour western show ushered in a whole new era of Yellowstone. Its follow-up, 1923, came in December 2022, after jumping decades into the future. With a focus on another generation, it began to plant the seeds of growth that allowed the Dutton family to become the powerful monopoly that it is today. The second season of 1923 was delayed thanks to the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes in 2023, but its seven episodes (with a two-episode finale) are already available to stream on Paramount+.

There are more spinoffs to come, of course. Yellowstone got its official ending with the second part of its fifth season, but the Yellowstone franchise will continue with shows like 6666, 1944, and The Madison. 6666 will be set in modern-day Texas and follow the events surrounding the titular Four Sixes Ranch, which the audience already saw in the last season of Yellowstone.

1944 will continue the story of earlier generations of the Dutton family, presumably as they cope with the escalation of World War II and follows the events of 1923. The Madison, previously known as 2024, will be the official sequel to Yellowstone, but it won’t follow the Dutton family. It will follow the McIntosh family as they move from New York to Montana and will be led by Michelle Pfeiffer and Patrick J. Adams. There were rumors about Matthew McConaughey joining the series, but it seems that they were fruitless after all.

While it doesn’t have an official title yet (although Dutton Ranch might just be the series’ name), the cast and producers of the Yellowstone franchise have pretty much confirmed that there will be a present-day spin-off focusing on Rip and Beth. There is not much information about the plot or release date, but it will, of course, be led by Kelly Reilly and Cole Hauser. Rip and Beth bought another property in Montana after John Dutton’s death, and it will surely see the couple managing their new ranch and probably Beth’s new battles in both the ranching and the business worlds.

While not an official spin-off of Yellowstone, Paramount has also produced Lawmen: Bass Reeves. Sheridan is an executive producer, which has given the show a sense of connection, even if it is wholly unrelated to the world of the Duttons. With so many different spin-off shows and spiritual successors, it is odd that 1883 is the one that was never given the chance to truly thrive. Having been limited to a single season, the story could not continue as other shows could. Unsurprisingly, there is a good reason for that.