Yellowstone’s Beth & Rip Spinoff Encounters Its First Big Problem

Beth and Rip’s love story will continue in a spinoff after the Yellowstone season 5 finale, but a potential legal battle already poses hurdles to its development. It may take some time to introduce the latest addition to Taylor Sheridan’s neo-Western universe to audiences. Beth and Rip have a promising Yellowstone spinoff story after the season 5 finale. The couple bought a ranch in Dillon, Montana, after Kayce sold the Yellowstone Dutton Ranch to the Broken Rock Tribe, restoring the land to Montana’s Indigenous people.

While Yellowstone audiences had mixed reactions to the Yellowstone season 5 finale, considering its circumstances, it was largely acceptable. Kayce and Monica return to their home at East Camp, which Thomas Rainwater deeds back to the sixth-generation Dutton and his family. It also laid the groundwork for their following chapters: Kayce, Beth, and the cowboys bid farewell to John Dutton III, with his daughter promising (and succeeding) to avenge his death. Which stories will continue is unclear, except for Beth and Rip’s, thus far. So, hopefully, their story doesn’t experience the same lag as Yellowstone season 5, part 2.

What We Know About Beth & Rip’s Yellowstone Spinoff

Beth And Rip’s Story Continues In Dillon

A report just days before the Yellowstone season 5 finale announced a Yellowstone spinoff starring Beth and Rip. The report confirmed that Kelly Reilly and Cole Hauser would continue their characters, respectively. The series will reportedly share the most DNA with the flagship Yellowstone series. It occurs in the present day, adjacent to Yellowstone, and the developing spinoff starring Michelle Pfeiffer called The Madison, which shifts the focus away from the Dutton family. While rumors existed that Beth and Rip would continue the saga with Yellowstone season 6, the report further muddled the clarity of the franchise’s continuation.

Following the Yellowstone season 5 conclusion, the picture of Beth and Rip’s story is more explicit. After her brother decides to sell the ranch, the couple’s story will continue on Beth and Rip’s ranch in Dillon, Montana. Beth bought the ranch, where her husband could continue life as a ranch foreman and cowboy and where Beth could get away from the noise. Following flashbacks in Yellowstone season 5, episode 10, it looked like Beth and Rip’s story could continue in Texas, but the finale confirmed the Montanans would instead plant roots in a remote area of their home state.

Beth & Rip’s Spinoff Can Create A Legal Battle For Broadcasting Rights

The Right To Stream Yellowstone’s Show Is A Big Deal

While the potential for Beth and Rip’s spinoff story creates exciting new possibilities, its development creates legal hurdles for the networks with stakes in distributing the Yellowstone stories. In the report, sources reported that while another Yellowstone season wasn’t out of the question, production elements of Beth and Rip’s story were more appealing. Namely, creating a series independent of the mothership would allow Paramount Network’s parent, Paramount Global, to keep the show within the company’s network. In contrast, Yellowstone has a pre-existing streaming deal with Peacock, barring Paramount Network from streaming Kevin Costner’s series on Paramount+.

A new report from Puck confirms that the debate between Yellowstone season 6 and Beth and Rip’s spinoff could trigger a legal battle with Peacock. Ultimately, legal battles will come down to whether Beth and Rip’s show can distinguish itself from Yellowstone season 6 to prove that it isn’t just a continuation of the main show. Confirmed developments about the series suggest proving clear differentiation might be difficult for Paramount Network. Beth and Rip’s show will include other original Yellowstone main characters and use the Yellowstone series name in the title. Still, Paramount could pivot to avoid a legal battle.

What The Possible Legal Woes Mean For Yellowstone’s Beth & Rip’s Spinoff

Beth And Rip’s Story Will Get Pushed Into The Future

The Puck report suggested that Peacock’s parent, NBCUniversal, would fight Paramount if they claimed exclusive rights for Paramount+ to stream Beth and Rip’s show, barring Peacock from doing the same. While NBCU has yet to take legal action, potential battles could tie up the Beth and Rip spinoff’s development, stalling it at one of the earliest stages. Therefore, audiences may have to wait a while before seeing more of Beth and Rip’s ranch in Dillon, Montana, since a battle for streaming rights between Paramount+ and Peacock would prevent the show from establishing a strong creative direction, delaying its production.

Considering Yellowstone season 5, part 2, faced significant production delays, further challenges decrease the likelihood that any follow-ups will have a quick turnaround. Therefore, it could be years before we see what happens at Beth and Rip’s remote new home. The couple opted to bring Carter to Dillon. Their unofficially adopted son is still an adolescent, and any growth spurts Carter actor Finn Little has must align with Beth and Rip’s timeline. Thus, potential legal battles will push Beth and Rip’s story further into the future, upping the stakes for what comes next for the Yellowstone power couple.