Taylor Sheridan's hit neo-Western Yellowstone is currently in its fifth and final season, and although we will be sad to say goodbye to the flagship series, there are a number of spinoffs and prequels to devour. Matthew McConaughey is starring in a Yellowstone sequel series following Kevin Costner's departure, and prequels 1923 and 1883 have proven quite successful. But there's one spinoff series that Sheridan is missing that could explore a lot of untapped potential in the franchise. Actor Josh Lucas, who plays a young John Dutton in snippets of Yellowstone, would make for an excellent lead in a series about the patriarch's origin story.
Josh Lucas Had an Impressive Resume Long Before 'Yellowstone'
Josh Lucas is a great actor. We've seen it for years. Thanks to his roles in Sweet Home Alabama and American Psycho, fans have loved Lucas and his work. But Yellowstone really reveals his ability to not only bring truth to his character but also show us just how much he's paying attention to the details that Costner puts into John as well. Lucas isn't just playing the character on his own; we have to believe that his John would age into the role that Costner is playing every week. It's less about an impression and more about making sure that the emotional arc of John Dutton carries throughout the show, but there is so much more to explore within those earlier years of the Dutton family's control over the Yellowstone.
So far, there have been flashbacks littered throughout the main series where Lucas plays John at various times of his life. The show has depicted him happy with his wife Evelyn (Gretchen Mol) and just running the ranch, fighting with Jamie as he does in the future, and exploring how his dynamics with the rest of his children have changed throughout the years — but there's something else about the concept of a spinoff show that really would benefit the franchise as a whole.
Josh Lucas' 'Yellowstone' Performance Is Dynamic
Lucas plays John Dutton when he was younger, before his kids were at war with each other and ready to kill one another at the drop of a hat. We've talked in the past about how good Lucas is at playing a younger version of Costner's Dutton because of the subtleties he gives to the role. Overall, his take on John throughout the series has been a breath of fresh air and if the future of the current series is in question, this might be the way to go to try and keep the Duttons' story alive and well. While Costner's take on the role is why he ended up being so iconic, the character of John himself is a bit stuck because he doesn't have the power in his family. That belongs to his children, for the most part, and he has slowly started to let them take over running things. Even though Costner's John is beloved (and for good reason), introducing a prequel show could be the answer that the franchise needs.
A 'Yellowstone' Spinoff Would Give Us a Different Look at the Ranch
John Dutton is important, but he's not the most important part of the show. The ranch is. Yellowstone is the Dutton family legacy — and the drama of the family is centered, often, on how well the ranch is doing. 1883 and 1923 have established the Duttons' control of it long before the flagship series even takes place, but even within Yellowstone, it's gone through many different versions. At the start, John had unyielding power over those around him and the ranch was at its peak, but throughout the years it has started to lose money and started to fade into something different. It's reached the point where we're not sure what is going to happen to Yellowstone with the rest of the Dutton family all fighting with each other and not caring as much about the ranch as a whole.
A show with Lucas in the role of John could offer even more of an idea of how the Duttons and their relationship with the ranch have shifted throughout the years. From the start, the Duttons have struggled with the ranch, but it has also granted them power and money throughout Montana. It has made them targets and gotten some of them killed and hurt in the process, but they've also figured out countless ways to keep the ranch alive. That could be explored even further in a show like this, but we'd also get more of a pivotal relationship in John's life.
A 'Yellowstone' Spinoff Could Explore John and Evelyn's Romance
When Mol played Evelyn in Yellowstone, we saw just how hard she could be on her kids, including her strained relationship with Beth and the fact that she favored certain children over others. It was also plain to see how John reacted to his wife and what she wanted out of their relationship, and, for the most part, that's what we've lacked from Costner's take on the character. The present-day version of John Dutton has had girlfriends and feelings for other women, but he hasn't really gotten to explore the love he had for Evelyn as much in the modern storyline, possibly because he'll never love anyone as much as he did his late wife.
Focusing a show on Lucas' John and his life prior to Evelyn's tragic accident would mean more of his relationship with his wife, the downfall of her death, and how their relationship helped to guide him into the man that he eventually ends up being when we meet him in Yellowstone. It's just so rich with options for us to explore in a way that John's storyline in Yellowstone really doesn't. That's not to say that we're bored with Costner's John, but that doesn't mean that a show with Lucas at the head wouldn't equally be as fulfilling. Let's hope whatever Sheridan has in mind, it includes exploring more of John's storyline prior to the start of the franchise.
The Big Picture
- Giving Josh Lucas his own Yellowstone spinoff show as a younger John Dutton could explore untapped storylines and breathe new life into Taylor Sheridan's franchise.
- A prequel show could be the answer to the franchise's need for a new direction, as it would allow the exploration of John's character and his relationship with the ranch before his children took over.
- A spinoff would provide audiences with more insight into the shifting dynamics of the Dutton family and their relationship with the ranch throughout the years, as well as delve deeper into John's romance with his late wife Evelyn.