As the hit neo-Western drama nears its end, Gil Birmingham and Wes Bentley address potential Yellowstone spinoffs and season 6 reports. Despite initial plans for a seven-season run, it was revealed that Taylor Sheridan’s show would come to an end after season 5 amid Kevin Costner’s exit to focus on his Horizon: An American Saga franchise. Along with that, though, it was announced that Yellowstone season 5 part B’s finale would be followed by the development of a sequel spinoff entitled The Madison, which is currently filming and expected to premiere in 2025.
During a recent interview with Screen Rant to discuss the final episodes of the show, stars Wes Bentley and Gil Birmingham looked to their potential futures within the Yellowstone franchise. When asked about the reports of a potential season 6, and the sequel show’s development, the former acknowledged he had no information about what his future may hold beyond season 5, saying it’s “literally above my pay grade“, but remaining open to the possibility:
Oh, of course, I’d be interested in that. I don’t know anything, it’s literally above my pay grade. I only know what I know, and they just tell me when to show up and say words. But yeah, you know, it’s a hard character to play. It’d be hard to continue on that way, but it’s also been a good challenge, and one I’ve enjoyed. So yeah, I would, of course, be open to that.
Birmingham, who plays Broken Rock Chief Thomas Rainwater, was asked his thoughts on the chances of a spinoff focused on the Broken Rock reservation. The star humorously quipped that he is always challenging Sheridan to an arm-wrestling contest to “make sure one of those things happen” before going on to share that “friends in [Sheridan]’s circle” do talk about that idea, and remains hopeful the showrunner will land on an idea for such. See what Birmingham explained below:
Yeah, I always challenge him in arm wrestling contests to make sure one of those things happen. [Chuckles] Taylor is such an independent and prolific mind, he might be open to suggestions, and I’m sure it’s not just a biased position that I would love that to happen, but I’ve heard friends in his circle say as much. So, it’s not lost on him, but he has so much on his plate already, and I guess if the time is right, if it ferments right, then he might follow that course of events, and that would be fantastic.
What Bentley & Birmingham’s Comments Mean For Yellowstone’s Future
There’s Both A Lot Of Uncertainty & Secrecy
Though neither Birmingham nor Bentley’s responses indicate what their futures hold in the show, it also speaks to both the secrecy and uncertainty about Yellowstone‘s future. Many of the creatives behind season 5 part B have recalled getting redacted scripts and other major steps taken to prevent leaks from the final season getting out. As such, given it’s unclear what their fates may be by the end of the show, it’s also just as unclear whether they could reasonably return for future shows.
Much of Yellowstone season 5 part B will be about Beth and Jamie’s war, which looks to be heading into life-or-death stakes as the latter seeks to hire hitmen to take out his sister and her father. Meanwhile, with neither Kevin Costner’s John nor Rip and the cowboys on the ranch, leaving Kayce and a handful of other cowboys, the Dutton family ranch is now left largely undefended from the likes of Market Equities or Rainwater, should he look to use leverage this in order to finally gain the land for his people.
Considering the chance Jamie may be dead by the end of Yellowstone season 5 part B, it’d be understandable why he might not return for more, though the chances of a rez-set spinoff may be more challenging due to the overall focus of the franchise. Across the two released shows, Sheridan has kept the spotlight on the Dutton family, though The Madison story’s reported shift away from them could see the door gradually begin to open for the Broken Rock and other non-Dutton characters to get their own projects.
Our Take On Bentley & Birmingham’s Yellowstone Futures
The Rez Deserves Its Own Story
While plans for a 6666 spinoff and sequel to 1923 set in the ’40s remain in unclear states of development, I think a reservation-focused Yellowstone show has the most potential for doing some fresh and thrilling with the franchise. Beyond just the mainline show, Sheridan has often shown a remarkably compassionate approach to telling Native American stories, and with many Indigenous creatives getting their due in recent years, I’d love to see him and someone like Dark Winds‘ Graham Roland or Reservation Dogs‘ Sterlin Harjo team with Sheridan to expand that side of the Yellowstone universe.
