If you are anything like me, you are deep in the Taylor Sheridan universe, clutching your denim jacket and wondering if we will ever ride out onto the sprawling plains of West Texas for the highly anticipated ‘Yellowstone’ spinoff, ‘6666’ (pronounced Four Sixes). We have seen prequels like 1883 and 1923 soar, new spin-offs like The Madison and Y: Marshals announced, and the original Yellowstone flagship series finally wrap up its epic run. Yet, the show about Jimmy Hurdstrom and the legendary Four Sixes Ranch—the one we have waited on the longest—remains a phantom. Now, we are hit with the bombshell news: the creative genius himself, Taylor Sheridan, has inked a massive, multi-year deal with NBCUniversal, a direct rival to his longtime partner, Paramount. This news has fans in a panic, asking the most critical question: Did Taylor Sheridan’s big move to NBCUniversal just kill the ‘6666’ spinoff?
The short answer, as is often the case in the shadowy world of Hollywood deal-making, is complicated. It is a story of a showrunner’s ambition, a studio’s shifting priorities, and the unique challenges of filming on a real, working ranch that cannot simply shut down for a TV production. We need to grab our boots, saddle up, and meticulously sort through the swirling dust of speculation, because the true story of the ‘6666’ spin-off tells us as much about the future of the Yellowstone universe as it does about the powerful man who built it.
The Multi-Million Dollar Question: Unpacking Taylor Sheridan’s Deal with NBCUniversal
Let us start with the elephant in the writer’s room: Taylor Sheridan is leaving Paramount. Do not freak out yet; this is not a right now situation. Sheridan’s massive five-year deal with NBCUniversal does not take effect until January 1, 2029. His current, extraordinarily lucrative overall deal with Paramount, which birthed his entire television empire (Yellowstone, 1883, 1923, Tulsa King, Mayor of Kingstown, Lioness, and more), runs through 2028. This is the crucial context we must understand.
When a writer or producer signs an “overall deal” with a studio, that studio essentially gets the “first look” at any new project they create. By signing with NBCUniversal, Sheridan will be creating new and separate intellectual property (IP) for Peacock and the NBC networks starting in 2029. This is a staggering development in Hollywood, signaling a major poaching of a top-tier creative talent. Insiders whisper that the change came after a series of high-level executive departures at Paramount, which created friction and new scrutiny over the famously high budgets for Sheridan’s shows. The bottom line: Paramount retains the rights to all existing Sheridan-created franchises, including all iterations of Yellowstone and the 6666 spinoff.
The Contractual Lifeline: Why the ‘6666’ Spinoff Still Belongs to Paramount
Despite the drama of the executive shuffle and the huge NBCUniversal news, the 6666 spinoff remains firmly under the Paramount umbrella. Think of it like a legal branding iron: once a show is announced and developed under a specific studio deal, that studio owns the rights to that story and its characters.
The Lingering Development Status of the Texas Story
6666 was first announced way back in February 2021. Since then, the franchise has launched two prequels and is ramping up production on a handful of other modern-day spin-offs, making the delay of the Texas story a head-scratcher. There is no official word that the show is canceled, but the lack of updates speaks volumes. Production for this series was reportedly put on hold during the Hollywood labor strikes, which contributed to the slowdown, but that is not the whole story.
Jefferson White’s Pivotal Role as Jimmy Hurdstrom
The entire premise of 6666 was brilliantly set up in Yellowstone Season 4. We saw Jimmy Hurdstrom, the lovable screw-up of the Dutton ranch hands, sent to the real-life Four Sixes Ranch in Texas to be molded into a true cowboy. This narrative arc served as a perfect, built-in “backdoor pilot” for the spinoff. When Jimmy returned to the Yellowstone in the final season of the main show, he came back a man, engaged to Emily, and firmly rooted in Texas. His story is the emotional heart of the 6666 concept, meaning that actor Jefferson White’s availability and commitment are central to its success.
The Real-Life Ranch Factor: A Logistical Nightmare for Production
While Hollywood drama certainly plays a role, the logistical reality of the Four Sixes Ranch itself is arguably the single biggest hurdle for the 6666 show. It is a complication only Taylor Sheridan could face, because he is the one who actually purchased the legendary ranch in 2022!
An Operating Cattle and Horse Business
The Four Sixes Ranch is a historic, 266,000-acre property and a working entity. It is not an unused movie set or a backlot soundstage. It is a functional, multi-million dollar business renowned for raising world-class horses and livestock. Sheridan himself has stated that the production of 6666 requires a “unique level of special care” because it involves real families working there and cannot disrupt the ranch’s centuries-old lineage and daily operations.
Sheridan’s Patience is a Virtue (or a Delay Tactic)
Sheridan told The Hollywood Reporter to be patient with this project. He is known for being the sole writer on nearly all his shows, meaning he has a colossal amount of creative output on his plate. He is simultaneously managing the production of Landman (starring Billy Bob Thornton), the upcoming Lioness Season 3, and two other announced Yellowstone spin-offs: the Beth and Rip focused Dutton Ranch and The Madison (starring Michelle Pfeiffer). When you realize that one man is writing every single script, you start to understand why the 6666 script might be waiting its turn in his massive queue.
Reading the Tea Leaves: The Subtlety of the ‘Yellowstone’ Universe
Though official updates are scarce, we can read the “tea leaves” left by the final seasons of Yellowstone and the surrounding announcements. The groundwork for the Texas story is far too extensive to ignore, and a full cancellation would be a massive strategic loss for Paramount.
The Rip and Beth Connection: Will Texas Be Their Next Move?
The presence of Jimmy Hurdstrom in Texas is not the only connection. We saw Rip Wheeler and a whole crew of Dutton ranch hands temporarily relocate their cattle to the Four Sixes during the Montana winter in Season 5. This move not only reinforced the relationship between the two ranches but also provided an emotional connection for Beth Dutton and Rip Wheeler. With the original Yellowstone ending, fans expect Rip and Beth to have a happy (or at least, less tragic) continuation in their own upcoming spin-off, Dutton Ranch. It is entirely plausible that the Dutton Ranch series could overlap with, or even transition into, the 6666 series, offering a much-needed narrative anchor for the Texas show. The synergy between the two could be Paramount’s masterstroke.
The Real Meaning of “In Development”
In Hollywood-speak, “in development” can mean anything from “we’re shooting the pilot next week” to “we have a title and a dream, but no script.” For a Taylor Sheridan project, however, “in development” often means waiting for the story to coalesce and for the perfect production window to open. His director/executive producer, Christina Voros, has noted that the process is entirely dependent on Sheridan’s vision: “We don’t know until we get the scripts what the story is… And when the time to tell the story is upon us, there will be a script in my inbox.” For 6666, the time has not been now, but that hardly means it will not be later.
Why Paramount Needs ‘6666’ Now More Than Ever
As Sheridan prepares for his eventual move to NBCUniversal, Paramount must maximize the value of the IP they still own. The Yellowstone universe is their golden goose, and 6666 is one of the most anticipated sequels.
Maximizing the Existing Franchise Value
Paramount must prove to investors and subscribers that their ownership of the existing Yellowstone franchise can thrive even without Sheridan’s day-to-day involvement after 2028. Moving forward with a long-announced project like 6666 demonstrates that they can execute his established vision.
The Power of the Modern Western
The original plan was for 6666 to air on the linear Paramount Network, rather than being exclusive to the Paramount+ streaming service. This suggests the studio sees the show as a key player in drawing a broad, traditional television audience—the same demographic that made the original Yellowstone a cultural phenomenon. It is a show about real, authentic ranch life, steeped in Texas lore, and that kind of raw Western grit is a valuable commodity.
Conclusion: The Lone Star Still Shines for Jimmy Hurdstrom
So, is the Yellowstone spinoff ‘6666’ still happening? Yes, it is—for now, it absolutely is. The confusion over Taylor Sheridan’s future is understandable, but the timeline is the key. Sheridan is not going anywhere until 2029, and Paramount owns the Yellowstone universe forever. The delay is less about a looming corporate breakup and more about a busy genius prioritizing other scripts while navigating the unique challenge of filming on a sprawling, working ranch he actually owns. We have seen Jimmy Hurdstrom grow from a scared novice to a true cowboy. We have witnessed the Duttons rely on the Four Sixes for survival. The stage is set, the characters are ready, and the story is simply too rich, too popular, and too deeply woven into the fabric of the modern Western for the show to be shelved permanently. Just like any good rancher, we must be patient. The herd will come home to Texas when Taylor Sheridan decides the time is right.
5 Unique FAQs After The Conclusion
Q: What specifically does Taylor Sheridan’s NBCUniversal deal mean for new Yellowstone stories after 2028?
A: The key detail is ownership of the intellectual property (IP). Paramount retains the rights to all existing Yellowstone titles and their characters, including 6666, 1923, 1883, and the upcoming Dutton Ranch and The Madison. After his contract expires at the end of 2028, Taylor Sheridan can no longer create new shows using the Yellowstone IP for NBCUniversal. If Paramount wants to continue the franchise past 2028, they will need to hire new writers and showrunners to carry on the established stories, potentially with only a non-exclusive consulting role from Sheridan.
Q: Who is expected to star in the ‘6666’ spinoff, and will it feature any other characters from the original Yellowstone?
A: The main star is almost certainly Jefferson White, reprising his fan-favorite role as Jimmy Hurdstrom, alongside Kathryn Kelly as his fiancée/wife, Emily. Given the Texas connection established in Yellowstone Season 5, we expect to see Taylor Sheridan as his character, the horse buyer Travis Wheatley. There is also strong speculation that Cole Hauser (Rip Wheeler) and Kelly Reilly (Beth Dutton) may appear in the series, or at least have an overlapping storyline, especially with their own spinoff, Dutton Ranch, also in development.
Q: When was the last official update on the production status of ‘6666’ and what did it say?
A: The last significant official announcement regarding its release plan was in May 2022, when Paramount revealed that ‘6666’ would air on the linear Paramount Network, shifting from the previously announced Paramount+ streaming exclusive. Since then, the only updates have come from executive producers and directors, like Christina Voros, who noted that the project is entirely reliant on Taylor Sheridan’s writing schedule and is simply waiting for the green light when he delivers the scripts.
Q: If Taylor Sheridan owns the Four Sixes Ranch in real life, does that make the ‘6666’ show easier or harder to film?
A: Surprisingly, it makes it harder. While owning the property provides unlimited access, the Four Sixes is a massive, highly successful, and fully operational cattle and horse breeding ranch. Sheridan must balance the logistics of a multi-million dollar television production with the daily reality of running a historic working ranch. He has stated that the need to respect the ranch’s lineage and its real-life employees means he must be patient and cannot simply shut down operations for filming, which has likely contributed significantly to the extended delay.
Q: Is there any chance ‘6666’ could be merged with the announced Beth and Rip series, Dutton Ranch?
A: While no official plan for a merger has been announced, it is highly likely that the series will have significant overlap. The final season of Yellowstone saw Rip and the ranch hands spend a large amount of time at the Four Sixes. Since the Beth and Rip spin-off is expected to be a direct continuation of their modern-day story, a logical narrative bridge—or even a temporary relocation to Texas—could easily link the two shows. This cross-pollination would be a smart strategic move for Paramount to launch both modern-day successors to the main series.
