Kevin Costner has nabbed the lead role in the Paramount Network’s upcoming drama series “Yellowstone.”
The show is written and directed by Taylor Sheridan, the Oscar-nominated scribe of 2016’s “Hell or High Water.” “Yellowstone” earned a straight-to-series pickup earlier this month for a 10-episode run, marking the first green light from the network that is currently known as Spike but will launch its new identity next year.
The action centers on John Dutton (Costner), who controls the largest ranch in the U.S. but faces conflict with the entities that it borders, including land developers, an Indian reservation and America’s first National Park. The series begins production in the fall and is set to premiere in summer of 2018.
“Our goal is to bring premium cinematic storytelling to television. With an icon such as Kevin Costner in front of the camera, and the renowned Taylor Sheridan behind the camera, we are off to a great start,” Paramount Network and TV Land president of development and production Keith Cox said in a statement. “We are thrilled to have such a celebrated actor as Costner to play the lead role in such an important project for Paramount Network.”
The series is executive produced by The Weinstein Company, along with John and Art Linson (“Sons of Anarchy”). Also on board as executive producers are Sheridan, Costner, Harvey Weinstein and David Glasser.
“Taylor Sheridan wrote a giant of a character in lead John Dutton,” TWC co-chairman Weinstein said in a statement. “There was only one actor who could be transformational — Kevin Costner. This is a coup for the show and fulfills a joint promise that Kevin and I made — that we would find a mutual project to work on.”
Paramount Network’s slate of new shows includes the “Heathers” reboot and Alicia Silverstone’s “American Woman,” both of which moved over from TV Land and will debut next year. Six-part series “Waco,” starring Taylor Kitsch, was developed at Spike before the rebrand.
“Yellowstone” continues Costner’s predilection for projects centered on frontier life. He directed and starred in the 1990’s epic western “Dances With Wolves,” which nabbed three Oscars, including best picture. The actor won an Emmy and a Golden Globe for playing Devil Anse Hatfield in History’s 2012 miniseries “Hatfields & McCoys.”