ViacomCBS has ordered a “Yellowstone” prequel series for Paramount+, the company announced on Friday.
Titled “Y:1883,” the series follows the Dutton family “as they embark on a journey west through the Great Plains toward the last bastion of untamed America,” according to the series description. “It is a stark retelling of Western expansion, and an intense study of one family fleeing poverty to seek a better future in America’s promised land — Montana.” Watch a teaser for the new series, set to air on CBS during the Super Bowl on Sunday, above.
Sheridan will executive produce the series alongside “Yellowstone” co-creator John Linson, Art Linson, David Glasser, David Hutkin and Bob Yari.
The new project comes under co-creator Taylor Sheridan’s overall deal with MTV Entertainment Group, which has been renewed through 2028. Under the expanded agreement, Sheridan will create exclusive content with MTV Entertainment Studios and 101 Studios, with a commitment to produce five cycles of scripted and procedural series per year.
The deal builds on the massive success ViacomCBS has reaped from its partnership with Sheridan since “Yellowstone” launched in 2018. The Kevin Costner-led series is cable’s top-rated show and the third season, which aired last year, debuted to a total of 6.5 million viewers, making it the most-watched season premiere on cable in two years.
Sheridan is also behind Paramount Network’s unscripted series “The Last Cowboy” and the upcoming prison drama “Mayor of Kingstown.” “Yellowstone” has already been renewed for a fourth season.
“I am excited to continue the story of Yellowstone and thank you to Chris, Keith and David for allowing me to keep on expanding the family for the fans,” Sheridan said in a statement.
“Taylor Sheridan is a visionary creative whose work has reinvented genres and amassed fan bases around the globe; we are thrilled he calls ViacomCBS and MTV Entertainment his home,” said Chris McCarthy, President of MTV Entertainment. “We couldn’t be more excited to build upon our partnership with him, expand the Yellowstone universe and showcase Taylor’s boundless talent across all of our brands and platforms.”
David Glasser, CEO of 101 Studios, added, “Taylor Sheridan is a master at world-building and has a singular voice that makes him one of today’s standout creators making must-watch content. Our mission at 101 is to produce content that provokes culture conversations with renowned creators at the helm of our projects, and that is exactly what we envision for this collaboration. This deal is an extension of our longstanding relationship with both ViacomCBS, MTV Entertainment Group and Taylor and we are very much looking forward to our future projects.”