According to a new report, none of the original cast have agreed to terms.
The negotiations surrounding the eagerly anticipated Yellowstone follow-up are heating up, if a report from Puck is to be believed. Reportedly, key cast members, notably Cole Hauser and Kelly Reilly, are in the midst of a financial tug-of-war, holding out for a paycheck that hits the $1 million per episode mark. This comes after initial demands were supposedly set even higher, as per the newsletter, with Reilly aiming for $1.5 million and Hauser for $1.25 million, while Paramount countered with offers around $850,000. The gap is narrowing, yet an agreement remains elusive at the moment.
This drama is unfolding against the backdrop of the Yellowstone universe’s expansion, with the next installment poised for production in the late summer. It’s slated to premiere following the latter half of Yellowstone Season 5 — although let’s be honest, it’ll have been two years since the previous half, and will feature a huge change to the cast, let’s just call it Season 6 — which will grace the Paramount Network by year’s end.
Taylor Sheridan, the creative force behind the franchise, has already charted the course for this successor series — which will not feature Kevin Costner — with his sights set on a cast that includes not only Hauser, Reilly, and Luke Grimes from the original lineup but also aims to bring Hollywood heavyweights Matthew McConaughey and Michelle Pfeiffer into the fold, although these new additions have yet to actually sign on officially. The storyline, while under wraps, promises to extend Sheridan’s captivating vision of the American West, albeit the final casting remains as unpredictable as the weather in Montana during the cold winters.
Kelly Reilly Says ‘Yellowstone’ Salary Discussions Are “Nonsense”
Earlier this month, Reilly had attempted to dismiss any speculation over the supposed financial disputes, telling fans “don’t believe everything you read” and describing the reports as “nonsense.”
“I just care about finishing [the main show] with as much care and as much passion and as much love as I can muster to put into it. That’s what I care about. I’m sort of prepping for that now [and] that’s my tunnel vision thing that I care about most. And what goes on beyond that? There are discussions, you know. Don’t believe everything you read. It’s just nonsense. But we’re gonna, you know, let’s wait and see. I don’t have an answer right now. But we’ll see.”
Yellowstone‘s final season is due to air in November this year. The series can be streamed on Paramount. Stay tuned to Collider for further updates on the fate of 2024.