"Yellowstone" spin-off with McConaughey stays in informal talks, no deal signed

A rumored "Yellowstone" expansion anchored by Matthew McConaughey remains in early-stage conversation between the actor and creator Taylor Sheridan, with no formal agreement in place. McConaughey, appearing on The Playlist's Discourse podcast, put the project's status plainly: "Nothing's real yet." The next confirmable milestone is a greenlight announcement or production order.

Where the project stands

McConaughey, 56, framed the situation carefully. He said the project is "not any more of a thing than it was or probably any less of a thing than it was." He and Sheridan have continued conversations about what a collaboration could look like, but the actor offered no timeline and named no network.

The two first connected on the idea in 2023. At that point, Sheridan was still working through the final chapter of "Yellowstone" and Kevin Costner's involvement in the conclusion was unresolved. In June 2023 comments to The Hollywood Reporter, Sheridan said the two had "spitballed a few ideas," described McConaughey as "a natural fit," and recalled that after McConaughey watched the show, the actor said he wanted to work in "a raw world clashing up against the modern world." Sheridan's response: "Buddy, that we can do."

The Yellowstone universe after the finale

The flagship series ended with a December 2024 finale. Sheridan gave Costner's character an off-screen death rather than bringing him back.

A separate extension had been set in motion earlier. In August 2024, Cole Hauser and Kelly Reilly were confirmed as the leads of "Dutton Ranch," which follows their characters, Rip Wheeler and Beth Dutton, as they leave Montana for Texas. Sheridan holds an executive producer credit on that show but stepped away from the writers' room during its first season.

Production without the creator

Hauser addressed the writers' room shift in July comments to Film Inside NYC. He said the team had to "figure out on our feet how to really perform and tell a story" after adapting to new writers and directors. He said he is "proud of what we accomplished" and added: "I look forward to doing it again."

The McConaughey project has no announced greenlight or production timeline. What to watch: a formal development announcement from Sheridan or a studio partner.