'Dutton Ranch': Cole Hauser opens up about challenging new location and his hopes for 'Yellowstone' spinoff
The fifth show in the 'Yellowstone' franchise premieres on Paramount+ on Friday. The series, created by Chad Feehan, will take Taylor Sheridan's characters from Montana to South Texas. Kelly Reilly and Cole Hauser lead the series as Beth Dutton and Rip Wheeler, and a few other actors from the parent series will also reprise their roles. 'Yellowstone,' which premiered in 2018, became a television phenomenon thanks to its gripping narrative, impactful performances, and viral social media clips. It expanded into two prequels, '1923' and '1983,' and a procedural spinoff series, 'Marshals.' Fans can expect the same intense, morally gray storytelling from 'Dutton Ranch,' with m*rders, land disputes, and feuds with rival ranch owners that made the original series popular.
After five tumultuous seasons, Montana's power couple, Beth and Rip, are forced to leave their beloved ranch, which was the primary setting for 'Yellowstone.' They move to South Texas with their adopted son, Carter, and set up the titular ranch. Other major characters from the parent series, including patriarch John (Kevin Costner) and Jamie (Wes Bentley), are dead, while others have chosen different paths. Talking about the new series with USA Today, Cole Hauser was joined by Kelly Reilly, who said, "That's the point, this isn't 'Yellowstone.' We had to pluck these characters off a world they knew into a new one to start again and grow them in a different direction." Hauser also discussed the outdoor shooting experience around Sheridan's mega-studio outside Fort Worth. "Texas is a beast," he said. "We're not on soundstages, except for interior house shots. I don't think a lot of people understand filming in that environment. The idea of the crew and the actors being outside, it's 118 degrees out there. And then it will start snowing. It's like the weather can't make up its mind."
While Sheridan doesn't hold the title of creator for this series, he serves as executive producer alongside Reilly, Hauser, and David Glasser. Besides Reilly and Cole Hauser, Annette Bening, Ed Harris, Jai Courtney, J. R. Villarreal, Juan Pablo Raba, Natalie Alyn Lind, and Hart Denton round out the cast. Furthermore, in his conversation with the outlet, Hauser portrayed confidence in the show, "At times it's been very difficult. But the backdrop, in my opinion — our ranch, the topography, the sunsets — they are just to die for," Hauser said. "The old audience that is used to Montana beauty will hopefully find beauty in Texas as well." The first two episodes, "The Untold Want" and "Earn Another Day," will be released together on Friday, followed by seven more episodes released weekly until July 3. Fans can stream the episodes on Paramount+ at 3:00 a.m. ET, while they will air on Paramount Network at 8.00 p.m. ET.
