Report: New ‘Yellowstone’ Prequel ‘1944’ Currently in Development
The next chapter in the multi-generational saga of Yellowstone's Dutton family is titled 1944, according to a new report, and it is currently in development at Paramount Network.
According to the Ravalli Republic in Montana's Bitterroot Valley, executives from the network made an appearance at a community thank-you event at City Hall in Hamilton, Mon., on Sunday night (Feb. 5). The event was designed to talk up Yellowstone's economic benefits to the area, which include bringing a reported 2.1 million visitors and $730 million in spending to Montana in 2021.
101 Studios partners with Paramount to produce Yellowstone, and 101 Studios Executive Vice President of Production Tom Prince told the gathering that in addition to Yellowstone and 1923, which both shoot in the area, another show is on the way, which he described as a follow-up to 1923.
“Of course, we've got 1923, we've got the sequel, we're not letting the cat out of the bag, it's going to be called 1944,” Prince stated. “My guess is that it’ll be shooting largely in the Bitterroot Valley because it has to take place at what is Chief Joseph Ranch.”
Chief Joseph Ranch in Darby, Mon., is the real-life ranch that doubles for the Yellowstone Dutton Ranch on the hit show.
Yellowstone premiered in 2018, with Kevin Costner playing Dutton patriarch John Dutton. The show became the most-watched drama on cable television during Season 4 in 2022, prompting several prequels.
1883 aired in 2022, starring Tim McGraw and Faith Hill, and chronicled how the Duttons made the arduous wagon train journey West to Montana to establish the ranch. 1923 premiered in December of 2022, starring Harrison Ford and Helen Mirren as Jacob and Cara Dutton, who have now established the Yellowstone Dutton Ranch as an empire, but are facing challenges on all fronts from the looming Depression, historic drought, other landowners, Prohibition and more.
Paramount Network has not officially announced 1944, and no details for the show are available. There are at least two more Yellowstone-related show in the works: Bass Reeves, which tells the story of the legendary lawman who was reportedly the inspiration for the Lone Ranger, and 6666, which will take place at the 6666 ranch in Texas that Yellowstone has already introduced.
Matthew McConaughey is reportedly in talks for a new show in the Yellowstone franchise amid reports that Yellowstone will end at the conclusion of Season 5 due to a breakdown in negotiations between Kevin Costner and Paramount over scheduling.
As part of Taste of Country's comprehensive coverage of all things Yellowstone, check out our Dutton Rules podcast on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.