Following a successful first season, fans of 1883 have wondered if there was hope for 1883 Season 2.
1883, the first spinoff series from Yellowstone, premiered in late December 2021 on Paramount’s streaming service Paramount+. Since then, another spinoff series and the first half of Yellowstone Season 5 have launched. Here’s what we know about where the Yellowstone franchise is heading.
No 1883 Season 2
There will not be an 1883 Season 2. 1883 co-creator and showrunner Taylor Sheridan told Deadline that the plan for 1883 was to be one season only.
“We wanted to make a ten-hour movie that ended, and that’s what we did,” said Sheridan. “For me, as a storyteller, it feels close-ended. I’m going to peek through the window of a different era and see what I see then.”
Sheridan added that Paramount+ was hoping for a second season of the show.
“When they read the last episode of 1883, I don’t think they digested what had just happened, even though I made it quite clear from the very beginning. The story I heard is Bob Bakish watched it and said, ‘Wait a minute, she dies! They all die! What do we do in Season 2?’” said Sheridan, referring to the CEO of Paramount Global.
“I said, ‘There is no Season 2’ and they’re like ‘There better be a season two because we just picked it up.’ I’m sitting here going, ‘Guys, everyone is dead.’” said Sheridan.
The prequel to Yellowstone, the series starred Tim McGraw and Faith Hill as James and Margaret Dutton alongside Sam Elliott’s Shea Brennan. The series was about the move to Montana by the progenitors of the Dutton clan.
But even if 1883 would remain as one season, fans remain hopeful that James and Margaret may return to the screens for another iteration.
Lawmen: Bass Reeves Was to Be 1883 Season 2
In 2021, Paramount+ announced that Selma star David Oyelowo would be leading a series based on frontierman Bass Reeves. In May 2022, the project was announced to officially be part of the Yellowstone universe, called 1883: The Bass Reeves Story.
Production on the project began early this year and wrapped in June. But before filming wrapped on this somewhat second season, it was restructured to become the first chapter of an anthology series. The title was now changed to Lawmen: Bass Reeves.
The title change came at a time when rumors about Yellowstone star Kevin Costner circulated. Naturally, fans assumed that the show would somewhat serve as 1883 Season 2. If it was, then it was possible there would be more references to the Duttons and a possible cameo from McGraw and Hill.
Lawmen: Bass Reeves is slated to come out on Paramount+ in the fall. The show’s Instagram account shared a teaser video on August 8 of what fans can expect to see.
The Cast of Lawmen: Bass Reeves
Alongside Oyolewo, Lawmen: Bass Reeves stars Lauren E. Banks as Jennie Reeves, Forrest Goodluck as Billy Crow, Barry Pepper as Esau Pierce, Demi Singleton as Sally Reeves, Donald Sutherland as Judge Isaac Parker, Dennis Quaid as Sherill Lynn, Joaquina Kalukango as Esme, Lonnie Chavis as Arthur Mayberry, Rob Morgan as Ramsey, Ryan O’Nan as Darrell Dolliver, Grantham Coleman as Edwin Jones, Justin Hurtt-Dunkley as Ike, Dale Dickey as Widow Tolliver, Margot Bingham as Sara Jumper, Tosin Morohunfola as Jackson “Jackrabbit” Cole, Shea Whigham as George Reeves, and Garrett Hedlund as Garrett Montgomery.
It remains to be seen if Bass Reeves will cross paths with McGraw and Hill’s characters on the show.
Yellowstone Season 5 The Final Season
In what would be a move that caught fans by surprise, Paramount announced in May that Costner would be stepping down from the role of John Dutton. The studio added that Yellowstone Season 5 would also serve as its last season.
But even though fans saw James Dutton die in Yellowstone Season 4, the death took place far along the timeline which would leave a lot of room for more stories to be told. It should also be noted that 1883’s one and only season started off with a fatal injury of a lead character who did not die until the last episode.
Tim McGraw, Faith Hill, Allegedly Upset
McGraw and Hill were rumored to be upset over 1883 being one season only. The pair allegedly felt that the show deserved more seasons given the success it received on Paramount Network.
However, around its initial airing, McGraw said the first season saw their characters cross the country, the show meeting all the storytelling elements expected of a Western. McGraw said that he couldn’t foresee a second season improving on what was already established. But McGraw might’ve recognized the success the series received along with a growing fanbase which made him think otherwise. The same could be said for Hill.
Nevertheless, the final decision on whether there would be an 1883 Season 2 lies with the executives at Paramount and Sheridan. The ongoing WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes aren’t helping at the moment. So fans will have to wait and see if anything changes.
New Spinoff Series, 1923
Even though we won’t be getting an 1883 Season 2, there’s still another spinoff series that continues with a new generation of Duttons. 1923 stars Harrison Ford and Helen Mirren as Jacob and Cara Dutton. The limited series also stars Brandon Sklenar, Darren Mann, Michelle Randolph, Aminah Nieves, Jerome Flynn, and Julia Schlaepfer.
The first season aired from late 2022 to 2023. Compared to 1883, there will be a second season for 1923. Both Ford and Mirren are returning to reprise their roles.
Ahead of the season one finale, Paramount+ confirmed the show’s renewal into season two. Sheridan told Deadline that he sees 1923 Season 2 as the second part of Season 1 which would wrap up the story.
“This one is different than 1883, where I had the whole thing blocked out in my head. This one, I had no idea what I was going to do. I just went on a journey myself, and I’m the one that made the call to the network, which is probably the greatest call they ever got. Hey, I need to make more episodes to finish this story. I need to do this in two blocks. An eight-episode block and a second eight-episode block to wrap this up. I can’t wrap it up in two episodes and do the story justice. For them, it’s great because they get more content. For me, I get more runway,” said Sheridan.
