In a new interview, Grimes revealed that fans can expect more than just a fresh setting and storyline. He’s promising familiar faces from the “Yellowstone” universe, too.
Luke Grimes Says Goodbye to ‘Yellowstone’—And Hello Again to Kayce Dutton
For Grimes, stepping away from “Yellowstone” after nearly eight years was harder than he expected. “It was seven years of playing a person that I’ll never see again,” he told PEOPLE. “It was really hard. It was like losing a family in a way.”
He genuinely believed the series finale—airing in December 2023—was his last ride as Kayce. “On the last day of shooting, I thought it was my last day as Kayce. It was over to me,” he said. But a few months later, a new idea came along—one good enough to bring him back.
And he’s not coming back alone. “There’s going to be some familiar faces, but there’s going to be a lot of new faces too, so we’ll see how that all feels,” Grimes teased. Though he didn’t name names, the promise of cameos or supporting roles from other “Yellowstone” favorites is enough to get longtime fans buzzing.
“If it was just like, ‘he’s happy’—we’re just going to watch him be happy? That’s not very cool,” he added. “But I’ll say this—the idea that was pitched to me is very, very good and very interesting. It really roped me in, and I think it will rope the audience in as well.”
What We Know About “Y: Marshals” So Far
CBS confirmed in May 2025 that “Y: Marshals” is in active development and will premiere as a midseason replacement. The show will pick up with Kayce Dutton after the events of “Yellowstone,” following him into a new chapter as part of an elite U.S. Marshals unit.
Now removed from the Yellowstone Ranch, Kayce will combine his Navy SEAL background with his Montana roots to help bring frontier justice to the modern West. The series will explore the physical and emotional toll of law enforcement in one of America’s most rugged regions.
“Y: Marshals” will fill the timeslot initially earmarked for “The Road,” a singing competition developed by Taylor Sheridan with country stars Blake Shelton and Keith Urban.
The Dutton-verse isn’t slowing down. While “1923” has ended with season 2, another untitled spinoff featuring Beth Dutton (Kelly Reilly) and Rip Wheeler (Cole Hauser) is also in the works. But for now, all eyes are on Kayce—and the new kind of chaos he’s about to step into.
Grimes has also partnered with High West whiskey for its Protect the West initiative but made it clear that his decision to return to the “Yellowstone” universe wasn’t a paycheck move. “We definitely wanted to make sure to give it a real story and make it interesting and make it believable,” he said.
Tell us! Will you be tuning in to see Luke Grimes return as Kayce Dutton? Let us know in the comments below.