According to initial reporting by Variety, a Yellowstone spin-off series focused on Kacey Dutton (Luke Grimes) has officially been greenlit by CBS. News about a spin-off series in Taylor Sheridan’s TV universe made headlines in March, and two months later, more details have been revealed. The show will consist of 13 episodes and is set to begin filming in the summer, with a 2026 release in mind and scheduled for Sunday nights. The newest Yellowstone series is currently titled Y: Marshals and takes place after the events of Yellowstone Season 5. The official logline for the series is “With the Yellowstone Ranch behind him, Dutton joins an elite unit of U.S. Marshals, combining his skills as a cowboy and Navy SEAL to bring justice to Montana, where he and his teammates must balance family, duty and the high psychological cost that comes with serving as the last line of defense in the region’s war on violence.”
Spencer Hudnut will serve as the writer, executive producer, and showrunner, with Taylor Sheridan as executive producer alongside David C. Glasser, Ron Burkle, David Hutkin, and Bob Yari from 101 Studios. Grimes is also set to executive produce the series and star in it. Y: Marshals is the latest Yellowstone spin-off to receive the green light from CBS, joining other prequel spin-offs like 1883 and 1923, and upcoming series like 1944, 6666, The Madison (starring Michelle Pfeiffer), and the Beth and Rip spin-off that’s still in early development. With so many spin-offs, the question is, does Yellowstone need this many?
The Dutton family’s story continues with two spin-offs focusing on the surviving Dutton siblings, and it’s safe to question whether the showrunners should’ve continued with the main series instead of several sequels. The answer is yes. From a studio perspective and Sheridan’s television empire, this will be financially beneficial as it can attract a wider audience with fleshed-out storylines.
‘Y: Marshals’ Will Focus on Kacey Dutton and Explore His Military Background
Kacey Dutton (Grimes) is a complex character, and he’s a tortured person when he’s first introduced to viewers in the main series Yellowstone as he grapples with his Navy SEAL past and continues his father’s legacy. Fans of the series can all agree that Kacey has been put through the wringer all his life, from witnessing his mother’s death as a young child, his PTSD from his time in Pakistan, and every other challenge he faced in the main series. In Season 5A, even his father, John Dutton (Kevin Costner), referred to Kacey as the child he pitied. During a conversation with Rip Wheeler (Cole Hauser), John says:
“You know I’ve got one child I miss. One child I pity. One I regret. But that girl, that child, I envy.”
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People have deduced that the child he misses is Lee Dutton (Dave Annable), the one he pities is Kacey, the one he regrets is Jamie Dutton (Wes Bentley), and the one he envies is Beth Dutton (Kelly Reilly). In fact, during a sit-down with Cinemablend, Grimes confirms that he believes John pities Kacey.
“I think he pities him, because clearly what happened to him overseas when he was at war messed him up to his core… I think he pities him just because he knows it’s not his fault, but he’s got a lot of demons.”
This new spin-off focusing on him will give more insight into his character and, hopefully, explore his trauma as he enters a new line of duty as a U.S. Marshal. It will also be interesting to see why he chooses to return to law enforcement and how this decision will impact him psychologically. This is one of many reasons this spin-off works, since it allows the story to be primarily about Kacey instead of being a side story in the main series. This is also a chance to delve into the person he is outside the Dutton legacy, his father’s shadow, and how he stands out.
The Spin-off Could Attract a Wider Audience by Narrowing the Story
If the main series had continued, there’s a possibility that the overall story could’ve become convoluted with the other B storylines, making it difficult for the audience to follow, thus leading to a loss in viewership. Yes, the idea of another spin-off sounds overwhelming and can make the story difficult to follow. However, this is a sequel spin-off, so as the viewer, you decide whether to tune into the prequels and the main series or stay focused on the main series and everything that follows. Y: Marshals may also attract new viewers who haven’t seen Yellowstone or saw the series and weren’t captivated by it, but were interested in Kacey and his family.
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Y: Marshals will most likely feature Monica Long-Dutton (Kelsey Asbille), Kacey’s wife, and Tate Dutton (Brecken Merrill), their son, as they embark on this new journey with Kacey. He’s a family man, as the original series showed, and the premise of the latest Yellowstone spin-off will likely show their family dynamic as Kacey decides to return to active duty, and how this psychological impact affects them as a family unit will be interesting to see. There’s a lot of potential within their family to be explored, and narrowing the story to them will help keep audiences interested without being sidetracked by other Dutton storylines.
‘Y: Marshals’ Is a Refreshing Narrative Outside the Dutton Ranch
As fans know, the Dutton ranch was sold to Chief Thomas Rainwater (Gil Birmingham) and the Broken Rock Reservation at the end of the final season of Yellowstone, bringing the Dutton legacy to an end. Closing this chapter of the Dutton family’s story creates an opportunity for the screenwriters and showrunners to start from scratch and allow new narratives that are just as complex and compelling as Yellowstone.
Grimes’ character is a perfect place to start, given the complexity of the character, and centering his story around the idea of finding peace after his father’s death and selling his family’s legacy. His journey will undoubtedly see him struggle to create his own legacy and decide what he wants it to represent. Y: Marshals is scheduled to release in 2026.