Good news, you “Yellowstone” loving loons. After all the secrets and rumors that have come stumbling out of the bunkhouse, it’s now been confirmed that troubled but stupidly heroic Dutton son, Kayce Dutton (Luke Grimes), is finally getting his own spin-off series following the events of the original show that ended earlier this year. It marks yet another corner of the map to Taylor Sheridan’s ever-expanding universe after prequel shows “1883” and “1923” (the latter of which ended on a second season in April), as well as the four other spin-off shows that are in development.
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The new show, entitled “Y: Marshals,” is set to air on CBS and will follow the next chapter of the youngest Dutton son after he gave up the family home and all the land that came with it. As was foretold back in “1883” (“In seven generations, you can have it”), Kayce sold the ranch by the acre for $1.25 to Chief Thomas Rainwater (Gil Birmingham), leaving him, his sister Beth (Kelly Reilly) and brother-in-law, Rip Wheeler (Cole Hauser) to go their separate ways. But what story does “Y: Marshals” plan on telling, who else is or could be involved, and more importantly, what are the odds of Kayce’s journey carrying on the Dutton family name end up on someone else’s patch of television, namely Beth and Rip, who are guaranteed to find drama at their door whenever their show rolls around? Well, these Duttons sure like to keep it in the family, after all.
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Who is starring in the Kayce Dutton spin-off?
We don’t need to be a marshal to realize that a Kayce Dutton show will require the return of Luke Grimes reprising his role as the titular hero, having spent five seasons playing the character, who had long-standing issues with his family’s way of life. When we were first introduced to “Yellowstone,” Kayce kept his distance from the family ranch and its inner workings. Over time, he became one of the show’s most compelling characters after spending so much time outside looking in. Eventually, he returned as the prodigal son who took the future of the Dutton dynasty into his own hands following his father’s death.
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While it’s not yet confirmed which supporting stars will be appearing on the show, it stands to reason that his on-screen wife Monica, played by Kelsey Asbille, will return for the spin-off. We’ll also likely see their son, Tate, who was initially played by Brecken Merrill in “Yellowstone,” return. Last seen hoping to ride off into a peaceful life, there’s no telling where or how the rest of Kayce’s immediate family could play a part in the approaching chapter, given how much drama they were caught up in the original series. A safe bet could be made that even more will be headed their way, particularly given the details that have also been revealed following the show’s announcement.
What is Y: Marshals about?
With every installment from the “Yellowstone” universe, the primary focus has been on different eras of the Dutton family drama that regularly arises from being a member of it. For once, “Y: Marshals” sounds like it might be veering away from Kayce’s home on the range, however, and shifting its focus to the job that we occasionally saw him do near the tail end of the show. According to the official logline for the series (per Variety), “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 range 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.”
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Same old, same old for Kayce then? After his time in the war and family troubles, he’s always been caught up in, he might as well be taking out a loan for the “psychological cost” he’ll be paying in the new show. Hopefully, some of Kayce’s colleagues will be there to back him up and receive the same level of attention that the former staff at the Dutton ranch had. However, that kind of decision-making comes down to the folks behind the camera, and while Sheridan might be involved in the creative process, the responsibility for handling “Y: Marshals” is being assigned to someone who has already collaborated successfully with an action-packed team in the past.
Who is directing and writing Y: Marshals?
Up until now, true head of the Dutton dynasty, Taylor Sheridan, has handled every chapter we’ve seen linked to the world of “Yellowstone,” but “Y: Marshals” marks a new era for another well-versed creator to step in and handle Kayce’s job and duties as a lawman, husband and father going forward. That job is being appointed to Spencer Hudnut, who is stepping in as writer, executive producer, and showrunner for the spin-off.
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For Hudnut, it really seems like a match made in television heaven, given that the most notable effort in his repertoire is the David Boreanaz-starring series, “SEAL Team,” which ran for seven seasons before ending last year. Given the explosive and action-packed nature of that show, there’s no doubt that Hudnut could seamlessly apply the tension that “SEAL Team” was rife with and add it to an already nerve-wracking series that has seen assassinations, meth lab explosions and people getting impaled after assessing a bear attack.
The outright wild moments of “Yellowstone” will continue, but to fill the Sunday night slot in 2026, might there be a chance that the other highly anticipated Dutton story will get an update soon, or maybe even characters from it coming over to check on Kayce in the meantime? Kayce did offer his help to his perma-grumpy brother-in-law in the “Yellowstone” finale, but is there a chance that he’ll call in a favor himself before Rip and his dearly beloved get their own show, too?
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Will the Kayce Dutton crossover into other spin-offs?
We don’t know if “Y: Marshals” could or will bleed into the rest of the “Yellowstone” world, but it’s far too much of an opportunity to pass up. This would mark the first time in the television franchise that characters exist in the same era and time zone, unlike “1883” and “1923,” so there’s no reason why Kayce wouldn’t find himself caught up in danger that crosses into Dutton business, or vice versa.
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At the end of “Yellowstone,” Kayce made a promise to Rip that he’d be around if needed help in setting up the new home he and Beth were creating for themselves, but we all know that he doesn’t just mean putting in a new barn door. Danger and the Duttons go hand in hand, so it’d be great to see the happy couple swing by Kayce’s home or Marshal’s office to see how he’s doing or to ask for help themselves. Doing so would also tee up their own spin-off story, or even one that might not involve a Dutton for a change.
Let’s not forget Jimmy Hudstrom (Jefferson White) is out in Texas at the Four Sixes Ranch in “6666.” There’s also the highly anticipated show, “The Madison,” starring Michelle Pfeiffer as a New Yorker who moves out west and might just cross paths with a Dutton or two in the process. For now, we can wait until next year to see the return of at least one former Yellowstone resident when Kayce starts cracking down on cases in 2026.
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