A persistent rumor in Yellowstone fandom is that Matthew McConaughey might be leading a new spin-off in the ever-expanding franchise. Another rumor is that McConaughey may step in as the new lead of the flagship series should Kevin Costner jump ship. There’s even a rumor that Taylor Sheridan’s hit neo-Western could be wrapping after its current season. Paramount Media Networks CEO Chris McCarthy has recently opened up to Vulture about the much-talked-about franchise and the multiple rumors.
In response to questions about the credibility of the reports, McCarthy answered, “There’s a bunch of different ways we could take the story. Thankfully, Taylor’s mind and his creativity is endless.”
McCarthy tossed out several concepts that could keep the Yellowstone gears turning for some time to come. “So, while we’re not ready to commit and comment on it, as anyone who’s watched the most recent season, you see Jimmy go to the Four Sixes pretty often. You also see flashbacks to when these particular Duttons are younger,” he explained. He reasoned that the flashbacks could explore “Beth being in her teenage years. You could easily see there being a story coming into that which fits very complimentary into the present day.”
The door could be open for Matthew McConaughey to join ‘Yellowstone’
However, McCarthy didn’t totally quash the rumors of a certain A-list Oscar winner joining the Yellowstone family. “With Taylor, creativity is endless, and we’re thinking through all of those different options and excited about many of them. And I will say, we love Matthew McConaughey,” he pointed out. “We’ve always been big fans of his.”
McCarthy then noted all the top-tier talent that has already joined Taylor Sheridan projects. “We’d love for the opportunity to work [with McConaughey], and it really speaks to the quality and type of talent that Taylor brings out, from Harrison Ford to Helen Mirren to Jeremy Renner and David Oyelowo, Faith Hill and Tim McGraw and Sylvester Stallone. These are the who’s who of Hollywood and I think that really speaks to the quality and caliber of the programming that Taylor brings.”
He also pointed out that his network isn’t simply a content mill. “We’re not trying to do the volume that other players are doing, but what we are trying to do is big cinematic hits that are popular and commercial and get people coming back more and more.”
Sheridan has become a franchise builder that audiences continue to resonate with. Paramount+ is home to his Yellowstone creations and adjacent shows, which include 1883, Mayor of Kingstown, Tulsa King, and 1923. He also has at least three upcoming series to add to the list: Bass Reeves, Lioness, and Land Man.