Paramount releases sneak peek of upcoming streaming series ‘1883,’ filmed in Fort Worth

Jessika Harkay
·2 min read

New Paramount+ streaming show ”1883” will take viewers on a journey traveling from the Great Plains to the Old West in search of land and a better life. The series, which was filmed in and around Fort Worth and is set to debut in December, released its first sneak peek Monday.

Directed by North Texan Taylor Sheridan, the new show is a prequel to the hit series ”Yellowstone,” which was also created by the director and is entering its fourth season. “Yellowstone,” starring Kevin Costner, follows the fictional lives of the Duttons and conflicts between sharing land with ranchers, a Native-American reservation and land developers.

“‘1883’ follows the Dutton family as they embark on a journey west through the Great Plains toward the last bastion of untamed America,” a Paramount news release described the series. “It is a stark retelling of Western expansion, and an intense study of one family fleeing poverty to seek a better future in America’s promised land — Montana.”

Closed-off asphalt roadways in the Fort Worth Stockyards were covered in dirt and lights were removed to give the “1883” set an authentic feel.
Closed-off asphalt roadways in the Fort Worth Stockyards were covered in dirt and lights were removed to give the “1883” set an authentic feel.

For months, dating back to August, the TV show’s production has transformed streets and areas of North Texas back in time, with dirt roads and the removal of street lights. In early September, crews took over the Stockyards area in Fort Worth and Granbury. Filming also took place at Sheridan’s ranch in Weatherford.

The teaser opens with footage of a green landscape, a train and clips of the upcoming series.

Sam Elliott films a scene for “Yellowstone” prequel “1883” on Tuesday, Aug. 31, 2021 in Granbury, Texas.
Sam Elliott films a scene for “Yellowstone” prequel “1883” on Tuesday, Aug. 31, 2021 in Granbury, Texas.

A voice-over narrates the preview. “I heard a thousand stories, but no one could describe this place,” it said. “The road west is filled with failures. It was a dream, and the dream was coming true.”

The series stars Tim McGraw and Faith Hill as protagonists James and Margaret Dutton. Joining McGraw and Hill is actor Sam Elliott, whose character Shea Brennan is described as “a tough-as-nails, handsome cowboy with immense sadness in his past,” The cast also includes Billy Bob Thornton as a U.S. marshal and Isabel May as the Duttons’ teenage daughter.

The series premieres on Dec. 19.