Kurt Russell joins Taylor Sheridan’s Yellowstone spinoff The Madison, set to debut in season 2, raising stakes post-Dutton era.

Kurt Russell is officially joining Taylor Sheridan’s world of Yellowstone and will be part of its spinoff, The Madison, via Variety. Though the news is exciting, fans will probably have to wait until season 2 to see him.

Led by Michelle Pfeiffer as wealthy matriarch Stacy Clyburn, the neo-Western show has already wrapped up its filming in January 2025 and is expected to be released in early 2026. Now, with Russell’s official announcement on joining the show, his role won’t debut until the show’s second season, which will likely come out in 2027.

The Madison continues to take Yellowstone universe’s legacy just like its other spinoffs, including 1883, 1923, and an untitled Kelly Reilly and Cole Hauser show.

What is The Madison All About?

The Madison will step into a new territory for the Yellowstone franchise and will be trading the Dutton dynasty for a fresh family drama. Taylor Sheridan’s directed show will star Michelle Pfeiffer as Stacy Clyburn, who is a wealthy New York matriarch uprooting her family to Montana after her husband’s death.

The relocation of her with her family immediately sparks tension with Yellowstone’s legacy. In Yellowstone, we saw John Dutton resisting and fighting for his ranch for years, not letting outsiders take over the place to turn it into a playground. However, his death and Kayce’s decision to sell the Yellowstone ranch to the Broken Rock Tribe closed the chapter, but The Madison opens another.

Unlike 1883 and 1923, which featured Dutton history, The Madison will explore other conflicts in the Yellowstone universe and will not be directly tied to the ranch. Simply, The Madison will paint a picture of wealthy transplants adjusting to life in Montana. The show also stars Stacy’s daughters, including Paige (Elle Chapman), who is married to an investment banker (Patrick J. Adams), and Abigail (Beau Garrett), a divorcee with two kids, bringing her baggage.

Overall, the show features the Madison River valley, which also hints at possible redemptions, adaptation, and conflicts. While some families may learn how to embrace Montana, some may clash with its rugged reality. As usual, Sheridan promises to give us a study on grief and human connection, but given Yellowstone’s signature style, the Clyburns’ story might redefine what survival means for the post-Dutton era.

How Kurt Russell Could Eclipse Kevin Costner’s John Dutton in Yellowstone Sequel?

Honestly, Kurt Russell’s addition to The Madison feels like a move that can take the Yellowstone universe in ways Kevin Costner’s John Dutton never did. Sure, Costner shaped Yellowstone with stoicism, grit, and that patriarchal weight. But with Russell, fans can expect something entirely different. Turns out, Russell has lived and breathed Westerns since childhood. From The Travels of Jamie McPheeters to Tombstone, Russell has consistently portrayed different roles like frontier men with depth, swag, and quiet menace.

Clearly, Russell’s a performer who doesn’t just embody a cowboy; rather, he makes the character larger than life.

And that’s why Russell could eclipse Costner’s John Dutton. While Costner delivered a slow-burning authority, Russell can thrive on unpredictability. Often, his characters have been dangerous yet magnetic, and that edge can give The Madison an energy Yellowstone never fully utilized.

Then there’s Russell’s ability to navigate blockbuster MCU spectacle Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 and intimate dramas like Elvis or Silkwood, which proves he can bring intensity to even the most sprawling stories.

So, if Sheridan gives Russell a role with teeth, the latter will definitely dominate the Yellowstone sequel.

What are your thoughts on Kurt Russell’s addition to the Yellowstone universe? Let us know in the comments.