Matthew McConaughey's Rumored 'Yellowstone' Spinoff Is Happening, Paramount Executive Confirms

ViacomCBS President Chris McCarthy addressed the rumors in a recent interview with 'The Hollywood Reporter.'

<p>Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images</p>

Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images

Well folks, we can finally cross one Yellowstone rumor off our unsubstantiated list.

ViacomCBS President Chris McCarthy confirmed in a recent interview with The Hollywood Reporter that the rumored Matthew McConaughey-led spinoff of the wildly popular series is in fact happening and moving forward.

The forthcoming show will join the ever-expanding universe of spinoffs and prequels centered around the fictional Dutton family that already includes 1883, Bass Reeves, 1923, and 6666.

McCarthy told The Hollywood Reporter that this new Yellowstone spinoff is happening regardless of whether Kevin Costner returns to the original Paramount+ series. He didn’t offer any specific details about Yellowstone or the McConaughey-led expansion, but he did say that the franchise "wouldn't be what it is today without Kevin and we hope that that stays for a long time to come."

The pillar of Taylor Sheridan’s television empire has been a source of intrigue since February, when Deadline dropped a bombshell report that Paramount was moving to end Yellowstone in its “current form” due to disagreements with Costner over shooting schedules. The same report was the first to attach McConaughey to a potential “franchise extension to continue the Dutton saga.”

McConaughey has yet to comment and Costner denied the allegations via a statement through his lawyers. Paramount Network responded only vaguely to the news.

“We have no news to report. Kevin Costner is a big part of Yellowstone and we hope that’s the case for a long time to come,” Paramount Network said in a statement back in February. “Thanks to the brilliant mind of Taylor Sheridan, we are always working on franchise expansions of this incredible world he has built. Matthew McConaughey is a phenomenal talent with whom we’d love to partner.”

The first half of Yellowstone’s current season aired its midseason finale January 1. Season 5 will resume this summer.

This story is developing.

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