Yellowstone lives? Yellowstone season 6 may actually be happening

Cole Hauser and Kelly Reilly in Yellowstone
Cole Hauser and Kelly Reilly in Yellowstone (Image credit: Emerson Miller/Paramount)

The sun may not be setting on Yellowstone after all. After months of the assumption that the remaining episodes of Yellowstone season 5 (set to premiere on November 10) would be the final ones in Taylor Sheridan's flagship neo-western, a new report indicates that a Yellowstone season 6 is in discussions, with Kelly Reilly and Cole Hauser potentially set to lead. This is according to an initial report by Puck and then followed up by multiple other outlets.

The saga of Yellowstone season 5 and its future has been one deserving of its own one-hour drama. The first eight episodes of Yellowstone season 5 premiered in the fall of 2022 and wrapped up in the first couple days of 2023. Then the Hollywood strikes in 2023 delayed production on the remaining six episodes. Also during the hiatus, it was revealed that series lead Kevin Costner would not be returning for the second half of season 5 because of scheduling conflicts with him making Horizon: An American Saga. Then there have been various reports of Yellowstone’s favorite characters continuing the series in some way. But rather than a spinoff, it may just be Yellowstone season 6.

To be clear, nothing is finalized on this front. Reilly and Hauser, who play Beth Dutton and her husband Rip Wheeler on the show, are reportedly in talks to lead the potential new season, but a deal is not currently in place. There's no indication of whether any other characters from the series would continue on. Should this come to pass though, it would be a relief for long-time fans of the series to know Yellowstone season 5 would not in fact be the end.

Of course, Sheridan's Yellowstone universe has already grown beyond his flagship series. Already there are the prequel series 1883 and 1923, with 1923 season 2 expected and another prequel series set 21 years later in 1944. A present-day spinoff series has also been confirmed, The Madison, which is set to star Michelle Pfieffer.

Outside of the world of Yellowstone, Sheridan has created shows like Mayor of Kingstown (awaiting word on Mayor of Kingstown season 4, Tulsa King (Tulsa King season 2 is premiering in September), Special Ops: Lioness and Landman, which is having its series premiere in November.

We'll be keeping an eye on the news surrounding the potential of Yellowstone season 6. In the meantime, get excited as Yellowstone season 5 returns on Sunday, November 10. You can catch up with all episodes of the series right now on Peacock.

Michael Balderston

Michael Balderston is a DC-based entertainment and assistant managing editor for What to Watch, who has previously written about the TV and movies with TV Technology, Awards Circuit and regional publications. Spending most of his time watching new movies at the theater or classics on TCM, some of Michael's favorite movies include Casablanca, Moulin Rouge!, Silence of the Lambs, Children of Men, One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest and Star Wars. On the TV side he enjoys Only Murders in the Building, Yellowstone, The Boys, Game of Thrones and is always up for a Seinfeld rerun. Follow on Letterboxd.