Taylor Sheridan’s Yellowstone continues to expand and reach out towards the American West. Despite its behind-the-scenes issues, Kevin Costner’s exit and Hollywood strikes to the clashes between Sheridan and Paramount over budget constraints and distribution rights, Sheridan’s world is still a pivotal franchise for Paramount’s content lineup. The next chapter in the Yellowstone universe will not only focus on the youngest Dutton son, but also feature a significant genre shift for the franchise.

Y:Marshals, the current working title for the newest Yellowstone spinoff, will put fan-favorite Kayce Dutton and his family in the spotlight as their stories take center stage. What sets the spinoff apart from the rest of Sheridan’s Yellowstone spinoff is the tonal shift that it will be making as Y:Marshals broadcasts on CBS on Sunday nights at 9:00PM in the 2026 mid-season. The Kayce Dutton series will be a Western crime hybrid and more than likely feel more episodic than what fans have come to expect from the Yellowstone franchise.

What We Know About the Story & World of Y:Marshals
The Series Will Focus on Kayce & his Family as They Face New Challenges

Y: Marshals will be a significant transformation in the Yellowstone universe, shifting from the serialized familial dramas and ranching dynamics of the original series to a more law-enforcement-heavy, action narrative. The series will follow Kayce Dutton as he transitions from his life on Yellowstone Ranch and the heavy burden of the Dutton family legacy to joining an elite force in Montana. How this shift will affect his family remains to be seen, but it will no doubt affect the dynamics and potentially trigger some drama, as Kayce puts his life at risk with his new career path.

The series will pick up after the events of the main Yellowstone series, where Kayce sold a significant portion of the Dutton family ranch back to the Broken Rock Indian Reservation, while keeping a small piece of land and his grandfather’s home for him and his family. Now, with newfound freedom, he’ll be joining a specialized U.S. Marshals task force that fights against crime in the region. Drawing on his roots as a cowboy and his training as a Navy SEAL, Kayce steps into a world where justice is hard-won and the Montana wilderness is as untamed as the criminals he hunts.

The official synopsis describes the series as a blend of “cowboy grit and Navy SEAL expertise,” which confirms that this series is more episodic and even procedural than Yellowstone, but that may be the exact kind of tonal shift that the franchise needs for its longevity. The story promises to delve deep into themes of family, duty, and the mental cost of being the last line of defense in a region plagued by violence and injustice. While not a guarantee yet, Y:Marshals is slated for a 13-episode run, with each episode being a self-contained case threaded by overarching storylines that build on characters and explore long-term plot arcs.

Who is the Creative Team Working on Y:Marshals?
There are Many Returning from the Original Yellowstone Series

Much like the story, there will be significant changes behind-the-scenes as well. The biggest of these changes is that Taylor Sheridan won’t be the showrunner on Y:Marshals but will instead serve as Executive Producer. This move will allow him to continue his involvement in the series’ overarching vision and maintain continuity within the franchise, while being able to focus on the other shows and spinoffs that he’s developing for Paramount. Spencer Hudnut, known for his work on CBS’s SEAL Team, will lead the charge as showrunner and Executive Producer. Hudnut’s expertise from SEAL Team, which ran for 7 Seasons, will ensure that Y:Marshals has a blend of military precision and the type of dramatic storytelling that aligns with Yellowstone.

Luke Grimes will reprise his role as Kayce Dutton, while also taking on the responsibilities of Executive Producer. This new role will also allow Grimes to help with the spinoff’s vision and allow it to stay true to the character. Unfortunately, that is the only news regarding casting. While many may find this concerning, especially that there’s no mention of Kayce’s wife and son yet, updates are sure to follow as production begins in the summer of 2025.

There’s no doubt that both Monica, played by Kelsey Asbille, and Tate, played by Brecken Merrill, will return to the series as Kayce’s family is going to be a crucial aspect of Y:Marshals’ overarching narrative. Other characters from the original series that may appear include Thomas Rainwater, played by Gil Birmingham, and Mo, played by Moses Brings Plenty, who could also play a big role since the spinoff will be focusing on the violence and injustice within the region. Rainwater’s involvement could easily bridge the storylines between the reservation and federal law enforcement.

Y:Marshals Potential Storylines & Theories
There are Many Avenues & Directions Y:Marshals Can Take

Y:Marshals has already been confirmed to be picking up after the events of the original series, which will ensure narrative consistency and also allow the spinoff to explore the aftermath of those events. Yellowstone had its fair share of antagonists and, given that Y:Marshals is literally about fighting against violence and injustice, the criminal elements that the Marshals are going to face will more than likely introduce brand-new ruthless villains for Kayce and his team to face off against.

It will be interesting to see Kayce leading a team, as his dynamic with the bunkhouse wasn’t all that great. Y:Marshals will also introduce local residents who will interact with the Marshals, which will further build on the world that Sheridan created. Thematically, the series will likely explore issues of land ownership, family loyalty, and duty, all of which are familiar to fans of Yellowstone. Y:Marshals will no doubt examine these themes through Kayce’s lens now and how his perspective on these matters will differ from his father’s — or will they?

Fans hope that there will be surprise appearances from other beloved Yellowstone characters, which will gift them with nostalgic moments and deeper connections. Whether it’s Beth, Rip, or any of the bunkhouse crew, no true fan of Yellowstone will say no to a great cameo. With other spinoffs in the works, especially Sheridan’s The Madison, which takes place in Montana, there is ample room for crossovers to occur. While this is all still speculative, fans are excited to see how this new series and Kayce’s evolution will expand on the world they love.

Y:Marshals isn’t just another Yellowstone spinoff, it’s a bold pivot that takes the franchise into the procedural genre and further explores and expands on the themes that were established in the original series. As Kayce Dutton trades ranching for federal cases, the series journeys into uncharted emotional and narrative ground, all while staying true to the Dutton legacy Taylor Sheridan built. With a powerhouse creative team, a proven lead in Luke Grimes, and a speedy network rollout, Y:Marshals could very well become the franchise’s next frontier.