Taylor Sheridan’s Yellowstone universe continues to expand — but whatever happened to the planned 6666 spinoff?
The popular franchise, which premiered in 2018, introduced viewers to the fictional Dutton family, who own the largest ranch in Montana. While some viewers came for Kevin Costner’s portrayal of family patriarch John Dutton — and stayed for the show’s other stars, including Luke Grimes, Kelly Reilly, Wes Bentley, Gil Birmingham and Cole Hauser — others were drawn to the dramatic story lines and surprising twists.
Sheridan has expanded his TV universe with original shows including Landman, Mayor of Kingstown, Lioness and Tulsa King. He has also offered prequel shows to Yellowstone, starting with 1883 and later 1923.
Before the flagship Yellowstone series came to an end, ViacomCBS president Chris McCarthy confirmed in 2023 that another spinoff starring Matthew McConaughey was in the works. One year later, however, the McConaughey spinoff appeared to be dead and replaced by a different spinoff titled The Madison.
A Guide to ‘Yellowstone’ and Its Many Spinoffs
Michelle Pfeiffer stars in the upcoming series alongside Patrick J. Adams, Matthew Fox and Kevin Zegers. The Madison is the first spinoff in the Yellowstone franchise set in the present day. Another series, Y: Marshals, will air on CBS in the fall and follow Kayce Dutton (Grimes) as he leaves the Yellowstone ranch to join the U.S. Marshals.
Some Yellowstone fans, however, are still waiting for the previously teased 6666 spinoff, which was set to follow Jimmy Hurdstrom (Jefferson White) during his time at the Four Sixes ranch in Texas.
“Founded when Comanches still ruled West Texas, no ranch in America is more steeped in the history of the West than the 6666,” the official series description stated. “Still operating as it did two centuries before, and encompassing an entire county, the 6666 is where the rule of law and the laws of nature merge in a place where the most dangerous thing one does is the next thing. … The 6666 is synonymous with the merciless endeavor to raise the finest horses and livestock in the world, and ultimately where world class cowboys are born and made.”
Unfortunately, the most recent update about 6666 came in 2022 when it was announced that the show would air on Paramount Network instead of Paramount+. Since there have been more current updates about a Beth and Rip series and a possible prequel titled 1944, fans have taken the public silence regarding 6666 as a sign that production won’t be moving forward. (Sheridan purchased the real Four Sixes in 2021.)
A Guide to Every Non-‘Yellowstone’ Show in the Taylor Sheridan Universe
Yellowstone director Christina Voros, meanwhile, previously told TV Insider that working with Sheridan meant possible long pauses between projects.
“We don’t know until we get the scripts what the story is. And when the time to tell the story is upon us, there will be a script in my inbox,” she said in a 2024 interview about the Yellowstone series finale. “And I will be really happy to saddle up.”
She continued: “I honestly don’t know how Taylor chooses to tell which stories he chooses to tell when [about 6666 and 1944]. I think he has closed a lot of doors on Yellowstone this season. There are obviously characters that we will not see again because they have been dispatched. But I think he has left some doors open, and there’s some doors that I can’t tell if they’re locked or not yet. But we will know when we cross through them.”
