Rip and Beth will continue to ride on, even after “Yellowstone” has officially ended.
Kelly Reilly (Beth Dutton) and Cole Hauser (Rip Wheeler) finalized their deals to reprise their characters in a new “Yellowstone” spinoff, according to multiple reports. Deadline.com first reported the news. The Paramount Network did not respond to a request for comment.
The new series, which the reports said will include “Yellowstone” in its title, has long been discussed as a possibility following the official end of executive producer and creator Taylor Sheridan’s cornerstone series. Reilly deflected when asked about appearing in the spinoff by USA TODAY in October.
‘Yellowstone’ finale recap John Dutton’s funeral, a bloody death, that ‘1883’ ranch sale
Cole Hauser and Kelly Reilly pose for portraits at the Park Lane Hotel in New York City on Nov. 7, 2024. They return as Rip and Beth for part 2 of season 5 of the television series ‘Yellowstone’ kicking off on Nov. 10, 2024.
“The truth is there is nothing definitive or set right now,” Reilly said then. “We just want to end this chapter of ‘Yellowstone’ because it deserves it. We’re talking a lot about the future, but I just want everyone to see these last six episodes as their finale. And then, if there is a future, and if Taylor (Sheridan) writes something else for us, we’ve both said we’re there.”
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The end of the neo-Western was spurred on prematurely following the exit of Kevin Costner, who portrayed patriarch John Dutton, after a prolonged battle with Sheridan. It’s not clear which of the “Yellowstone” cast will join Rip and Beth.
What has Reilly said about a spinoff after the ‘Yellowstone’ finale?
The “Yellowstone” Dec. 15 finale featured hints at a continuation. With the Yellowstone Ranch sold, Rip and Beth gave their final farewell. The two are perfectly content on a new ranch outside Dillon, Montana in the episode’s final scenes. When Beth suggests they ride into town for a celebration drink, Rip’s final words are: “Well, saddle your horse.”
Reilly took to her Instagram page to share a post memorializing her time on the show afterward. The post comments were filled with fan questions, including one asking if the rumors of a Beth and Rip series were true. Reilly responded with a simple “True” and a white heart emoji.
Hauser posted a throwback ranch photo on Dec. 16 on Instagram adding, “What a ride. What a office. See ya on the next.”
Why would a new series be good for Paramount?
The new series, a spinoff from the most popular show on TV, could be a financial boon for Paramount, which sold the “Yellowstone” streaming rights to rival NBCUniversal’s Peacock. Selling those rights to rival streamer (before the company launched Paramount+) was not only an epic financial miscalculation but also fueled confusion among viewers who had trouble finding “Yellowstone” after it aired on the Paramount Network.
The spinoff will theoretically allow Paramount to reclaim the show’s new version for its Paramount+ streaming service, barring legal action by NBC as lawyers sort out what constitutes a spinoff and what amounts to a variation on the original series, which Hauser and Reilly led for its final six-episode run.
