They promised us something new — a clean break from the legacy of John Dutton. But what if the most anticipated Yellowstone spinoff of the year is already falling into familiar patterns?

Beth and Rip were always the soul of Yellowstone: passionate, damaged, fierce, and loyal to a fault. So when Kevin Costner’s abrupt exit brought the flagship show to a premature end, it made sense that Taylor Sheridan would keep the fire burning by shifting the spotlight to the couple fans couldn’t get enough of. But new insider reports suggest the so-called spinoff might be less a fresh start… and more like Season 6 in disguise.

Here’s what we know.

The spinoff — which still doesn’t have an official title — is set to begin filming this summer, with Kelly Reilly and Cole Hauser reprising their iconic roles. That was already big news. But then came the twist: the production is reportedly casting a “Kevin Costner type.” Not Costner. Not John Dutton. But someone to fill the void left by him.

Immediately, fans started asking: if you’re recasting the father figure… are we really doing something new? Or are we just resurrecting the Yellowstone blueprint under a different name?

Let’s not forget — part of the reason this new project is even called a spinoff and not Season 6 is due to legalities. The original Yellowstone airs exclusively on Peacock. Anything new that’s still titled Yellowstone would also need to stream there. By calling Beth and Rip’s continuation a spinoff, Sheridan and Paramount get to move the story to Paramount+ and keep full control.

But packaging is one thing. Storytelling is another.

If you bring in a John Dutton-type character to mentor or challenge Beth and Rip, what are you really doing? You’re recreating the same dynamic. You’re rebuilding the same house — just on a different hill. And that’s exactly what fans are starting to fear.

Beth and Rip are moving to a new ranch near Dillon, Montana. It’s a setting with potential: rougher, more remote, and filled with opportunities to see how these two survive without the shadow of John looming behind every decision. But if Sheridan is already looking for a central male lead to stabilize the cast, it suggests one uncomfortable truth: he may not believe Beth and Rip can carry the show on their own.

And that would be a mistake.

Because Beth and Rip can carry this show. They already did for five seasons. They don’t need another patriarch to lead them — they are the leaders now. Giving them a fresh environment, new stakes, and emotional depth is enough. What fans want is evolution, not repetition.

This brings us back to something even bigger: the Sheridan formula.

Every Sheridan project so far — from 1883 to 1923 — has followed a familiar emotional structure. A hardened leader (usually a man), a haunted past, a moral frontier, and a family barely holding on. It’s worked. Spectacularly. But it’s time to evolve that formula, especially now that Beth and Rip are front and center. Let them be the pillars. Let their flaws — their grief, rage, and fractured loyalty — drive the story. They don’t need a John Dutton stand-in.

If Sheridan insists on building the same triangle — Beth/Rip + father figure — then we’ve gone full circle. Yellowstone isn’t evolving. It’s looping.

Yes, there’s strategy behind the scenes. Yes, Sheridan is working across multiple series — Y: Marshals, 1944, The Madison — and consistency might help with branding. But fans are smart. They know when something is fresh… and when something is just reheated leftovers.

And here’s the risk: if Beth and Rip’s story feels like Season 6 with a new coat of paint, viewers may feel betrayed — like they’ve been tricked by rebranding.

Instead, this spinoff should take bold steps. New tone. New structure. New threats that don’t mimic the same political land wars. Maybe the enemy isn’t a tycoon or a cowboy. Maybe it’s each other. Maybe it’s the past.

Beth and Rip are deeply complex. They don’t need another character to guide them — they need a reckoning.

Let’s hope Sheridan realizes this before casting a character that reminds everyone just how irreplaceable John Dutton truly was.

So now we ask you:

Do you want a “new” Yellowstone that feels exactly the same?
Or do Beth and Rip deserve a story that breaks every mold they once lived in?

🔥 Drop your thoughts below — and buckle up, because this isn’t over yet.