The Dutton family’s legacy lives on. After a season of twists and turns in south Texas, Rip Wheeler (Cole Hauser) and Beth Dutton (Kelly Reilly) will officially return for Dutton Ranch season 2. The pair star in the Yellowstone spin-off that follows the next generation of the Duttons as they attempt to make a new life for themselves away from the bitter memories of the Yellowstone Ranch in Montana.
Paramount made the announcement with two episodes left to go in the spin-off’s debut season. The current story pits Beth and Rip against a rival ranch in Texas, the 10-Petal, which is run by the cunning and weathered Beulah Jackson (Annette Bening). The new series also co-stars Ed Harris, J.R. Villareal, Jai Courtney, and Hart Denton—who all helped Dutton Ranch to earn the best original series debut in Paramount+ history. So, a season 2 was less of an “if” and more of a “when.”
“Beth and Rip are among the most iconic duos in television history and we are thrilled to bring a whole new world to life with Dutton Ranch,” said Jane Wiseman, head of originals for Paramount+, in the official press release. Matt Thurnell, president of Paramount Studios, added: “We look forward to bringing fans more stories from these unforgettable characters in Season 2.”
Aside from how the story may shake out following the season 1 finale on July 3, there’s another big question mark heading into Dutton Ranch season 2: Who’s holding the reins on this horse? Showrunner Chad Feehan, who previously worked on Lawman: Bass Reeves with Taylor Sheridan and Paramount, left the series just a couple weeks before the New York City premiere following reported disagreements with the show’s cast and producers.
It’s not uncommon for Sheridan’s shows to operate without a de facto showrunner and just trust in their directors. Mayor of Kingstown and Tulsa King’s often lack of a true showrunner are prime examples. But when we asked Dutton Ranch director Christina Alexandra Voros if she was interested in stepping into an even larger role in Sheridan’s TV empire before the premiere, she said, “If a [roadmap] exists, I don’t know what it is… [But] I’m not saying no to anything because I would have told you everything I’ve done thus far was impossible.”
However it shakes out, Dutton Ranch’s season 2 renewal is a no-brainer.