“Beth & Rip’s Spinoff Sounds More Like Yellowstone Season 6 After Kevin Costner Exit”
Beth & Rip’s Yellowstone Spinoff Is Starting to Look Too Much Like Season 6
A recent update on the Beth and Rip spinoff makes it increasingly difficult to view the series as anything other than Yellowstone Season 6 in disguise. With Kelly Reilly and Cole Hauser confirmed to reprise their iconic roles, Taylor Sheridan’s new project for the Yellowstone universe is shaping up to feel more like a continuation of the flagship show than a true spinoff.
Originally, the idea of a Beth and Rip-led story sounded fresh and exciting — a chance to explore two fan-favorite characters outside the shadow of John Dutton. But as casting updates emerge, it’s clear Sheridan is sticking closely to the original formula, especially with reports that the series is seeking a “Kevin Costner type” to join the cast.
Casting a “Kevin Costner Type” Blurs the Line Between Spinoff and Sequel
The decision to cast someone similar to Costner — but not Costner — raises red flags. John Dutton was not just a key figure in Yellowstone; he was the emotional anchor for Beth and Rip. Replacing him with a similar character feels less like creative evolution and more like formulaic repetition. Even if the new character plays a different role in their lives, the intention seems clear: recreate the dynamic that worked so well in the original show.
It’s one thing to build a show around familiar themes — loyalty, family, legacy — but it’s another to rebuild the same structure with new names. This choice pushes the new series dangerously close to being Yellowstone Season 6 under a different title.
Legal & Streaming Implications Make Things Even Messier
This blending of lines isn’t just a creative concern — it’s also a legal and logistical one. Yellowstone’s sudden end after Kevin Costner’s departure reportedly had more to do with behind-the-scenes issues than narrative closure. With Costner out and season 5 wrapping things up, Paramount+ saw an opportunity to continue the Dutton saga through a loophole: launch a new show, change the title, and stream it exclusively — sidestepping existing streaming deals with Peacock.
However, calling it a spinoff while following the same characters and tone risks igniting legal battles over streaming rights and show ownership. If Beth and Rip’s spinoff walks like Yellowstone Season 6 and talks like Yellowstone Season 6, how different is it really?
Repeating the Formula Makes Sense — But It’s Not the Bold Choice
Taylor Sheridan has a proven blueprint: pair a hardened patriarchal figure with younger, passionate characters, and watch the drama unfold. He’s used it in 1883, 1923, and Yellowstone with great success. So it’s no surprise he’s leaning on a similar structure again. In fact, Beth and Rip’s spinoff reportedly takes place in Dillon, Montana, offering a new landscape for familiar tensions.
Still, even with a new setting and new faces, introducing a John Dutton-esque character shifts focus from Beth and Rip — the supposed leads — to yet another strong male presence. That could risk repeating Yellowstone’s power dynamics and overshadowing the duo the spinoff was meant to elevate.
Beth & Rip Deserve a Story That Stands on Its Own
What made 1883 and 1923 so compelling was their independence. These prequels expanded the Yellowstone world while telling original stories. Beth and Rip’s spinoff could — and should — do the same.
By making Beth and Rip the true leads, without bringing in a replacement for Costner, Sheridan has the opportunity to explore their complexity and evolution in a way Yellowstone never fully allowed. They’ve proven they can carry a story. What they need now is room to lead it — not another patriarchal figure pulling focus.
Ultimately, what would make this spinoff special is not more of the same — it’s seeing these characters navigate a new chapter with fresh challenges, on their own terms.
