Yellowstone Spin-Off Dutton Ranch Fires Showrunner After Behind-The-Scenes Issues (Report)

There's been another shake-up in the "Yellowstone" universe. Taylor Sheridan's wildly popular Western television franchise is soldiering on with "Dutton Ranch," a spin-off that serves as a direct sequel to the property's flagship series (not unlike "Marshals," a "Yellowstone" show that ultimately went with a more standalone title). The series centers on Kelly Reilly's Beth Dutton and Cole Hauser's Rip Wheeler and is already slated to receive a second season. But when that time comes, someone else will be in charge.

According to a new report from Puck, "Dutton Ranch" Season 1 showrunner Chad Feehan won't be returning for Season 2. Feehan previously worked with Sheridan on "Lawman: Bass Reeves," a series that was almost connected to the "Yellowstone" property. It ultimately wasn't, but it became a hit anyhow. As such, Feehan was entrusted to oversee "Dutton Ranch" as both its showrunner and an executive producer.

According to Puck, this wasn't purely a creative issue, as Paramount is said to be "confident" in the show. It was instead "more about how Feehan ran the production." Recall that Sheridan wrote and ran all five seasons of "Yellowstone" along with its prequel series "1883" and "1923." In that way, Feehan had big shoes to fill. However, he reportedly clashed with Hauser and Reilly on the "Dutton Ranch" set, along with others who've been working on the "Yellowstone" franchise for years. Basically, nobody was happy, so Feehan got the boot.

The report further states that Sheridan and "Dutton Ranch" producer David Glasser intend to promote a different Season 1 writer to serve as the showrunner for Season 2. No specific names have emerged as of this writing.

This is far from the first time that the "Yellowstone" universe has had to endure some drama behind the scenes. Indeed, there was a highly public dispute between "Yellowstone" star Kevin Costner, Taylor Sheridan, and Paramount that led to Costner not returning for the show's final run of episodes. Not only that, but Costner even threatened to go to court about it at one point. Ultimately, though, there was an impasse, and it led to major changes in the direction of the show.

In any event, both the various "Yellowstone" series and the greater franchise remain wildly popular in spite of the issues that have come up off-screen in the past. That will make things all the more tricky for Paramount when Sheridan leaves for NBCUniversal in 2028, but that's another story entirely.

As for "Dutton Ranch," the "Yellowstone" series finale previously set the stage for the Beth Dutton and Rip Wheeler spin-off, with Beth and Rip operating a ranch in South Texas when the show begins. The series also stars Finn Little ("Yellowstone"), Juan Pablo Raba ("The Marksman"), Jai Courtney ("Suicide Squad"), J.R. Villarreal ("Landman"), Marc Menchaca ("Alone"), Natalie Alyn Lind ("The Goldbergs"), Ed Harris ("Westworld"), and Annette Bening ("The Bride!"). The synopsis for the show reads as follows:

As Beth and Rip fight to build a future together — far from the ghosts of Yellowstone — they collide with brutal new realities and a ruthless rival ranch that will stop at nothing to protect its empire. In South Texas, blood runs deeper, forgiveness is fleeting, and the cost of survival might just be your soul.

"Dutton Ranch" premieres Friday, May 15, on Paramount+ and Paramount Network.