The ‘Yellowstone’ universe is growing. The prequel series ‘1883’ will premiere at the end of 2021. HollywoodLife has rounded up all the key things you need to know about the new show.
You asked and Yellowstone delivered. Cable’s #1 show is expanding with a brand-new prequel series titled 1883. The show will take us back in time to the early days of the Duttons. Given what we’ve seen on Yellowstone, this new series is going to be full of epic moments.
The Yellowstone prequel will star one of country music’s most powerful couples. The series is just a few weeks away from its premiere date. To get you fully prepared, here are all the latest updates about 1883.
The ‘Yellowstone’ Prequel
Yellowstone is expanding with the highly-anticipated prequel series 1883. The series follows the Dutton family as they embark on a journey west through the Great Plains toward the last bastion of untamed America. It is a stark retelling of Western expansion, and an intense study of one family fleeing poverty to seek a better future in America’s promised land — Montana.
Since this is a prequel series, you won’t be seeing your favorite Yellowstone characters in the show. However, this will be the definitive Dutton origin story. Many of these characters will be related to the Duttons we know and love in the present day. Taylor Sheridan, the creator of Yellowstone, wrote all 10 episodes of the first season.
The first teaser for 1883 dropped during the 2021 Super Bowl. There was no actual footage, but we did get to hear a voiceover. “I don’t care if you live or die. But should you live… you tell them about me,” a voice says.
How To Watch ‘1883’
The Yellowstone prequel 1883 will premiere December 19 on Paramount+. On the day the show debuts on the streaming service, 1883 will also be simulcast on Paramount Network following a brand-new episode of Yellowstone season 4. The same will also be done for the new series Mayor of Kingstown. From then on, 1883 will be available exclusively on Paramount+.
“Mayor of Kingstown and 1883 are perfect examples of the types of prestige dramas we are focused on bringing to Paramount+,” Tanya Giles, Chief Programming Officer of ViacomCBS Streaming, said in a statement. “Taylor Sheridan is an exceptional talent and we are thrilled to be expanding his portfolio of series within the ViacomCBS family. With the special simulcast event of both series on Paramount Network, we will be further tapping into the scale and reach of ViacomCBS to bring audiences to Paramount+.”
‘Yellowstone’ Prequel: ‘1883’ Cast
The cast of 1883 is absolutely stacked. Sam Elliott will play Shea Brennan, a tough-as-nails, handsome cowboy with immense sadness in his past. He has the herculean task of guiding a group from Texas to Montana, and he does not suffer fools. “It all starts with the writing, and Taylor Sheridan is a brilliant writer,” the Oscar nominee said in a statement. “I think the western genre speaks clearly to both of us. The classic struggles of man against man, man against nature, and man against himself. It’s all there, in 1883, and I’m honored to be a part of it.”
Tim McGraw is returning to TV to play James Dutton, the patriarch of the Dutton family. “This is truly a dream job,” Tim said in a statement. “Taylor has found a way of storytelling that brilliantly creates these epic dramas and family sagas with so much depth and creativity. The Duttons are tremendous characters and it’s so thrilling to be able to bring them to life. As a kid growing up riding horses, you think about dream jobs like this and I am just so excited to work with this amazing cast and crew.”
In August 2021, Tim addressed fans in an Instagram post about his exciting new role. He called 1883 a “fantastic family saga about the original Duttons” and explained the show is the reason he’s growing his beard out.
Tim’s real-life wife Faith Hill will play Margaret Dutton, the Dutton family matriarch. “This is the opportunity of a lifetime,” Faith said. “The Duttons are a formidable family and it is an absolute dream to bring such a strong female character like Margaret Dutton to life. I am humbled and honored to work with Taylor and his entire team.”
Isabel May will star as Elsa, the eldest daughter of John and Margaret Dutton, according to Deadline. Much of the family’s struggle when they leave Texas aboard a wagon train to Montana will be told from her perspective. LaMonica Garrett has also joined the cast as Shea Brennan’s right-hand man. LaMonica’s character will join Shea as they travel with the Duttons from Texas to Montana.
Billy Bob Thornton will guest star in the first season of 1883. He’ll play Marshal Jim Courtright, according to Deadline. This will be a reunion for Billy Bob and Tim, who previously worked together on the Friday Night Lights movie.
Another ‘Yellowstone’ Spinoff
On top of 1883, there is another Yellowstone spinoff in the works. The working title is 6666. The series was announced in February 2021. Deadline was able to provide a brief synopsis about the new series: “Founded when Comanches still ruled West Texas, no ranch in America is more steeped in the history of the West than the 6666. Still operating as it did two centuries before, and encompassing an entire county, the 6666 is where the rule of law and the laws of nature merge in a place where the most dangerous thing one does is the next thing … The 6666 is synonymous with the merciless endeavor to raise the finest horses and livestock in the world, and ultimately where world-class cowboys are born and made.”
The series will be executive produced by Taylor Sheridan, John Linson, Art Linson, David Glasser, Ron Burkle, and Bob Yari. As of right now, 6666 does not have a premiere date. Cast and production announcements have not been made yet.
Is The Dutton Family Real?
With so much love for Duttons going around, you might be wondering if the Dutton family members are based on real people. The Dutton family is fictional, but the place the family resides is not. The show is set in Montana’s Big Sky country. The Dutton family home is located at the Chief Joseph Ranch, which is a historic landmark in Montana’s Bitterroot Valley.
The ranch is actually a real working ranch in Darby, Montana, that’s owned by Shane Libel and his family. You can stay at the ranch and rent one of the cabins if you’re a Yellowstone superfan.