Taylor Sheridan's western TV universe is as alive and thriving as ever, with at least three upcoming Yellowstone shows set to debut in the next year or so. While Luke Grimes' Y: Marshalls and its familiar faces might get the biggest live audience at CBS, I dare say fans are most excited about Rip and Beth's new spinoff, which started filming in Texas in August, with a working title of Dutton Ranch that may or may not be the real title. In any case, what IS real is how great this cast is going to be.
We previously learned that Annette Bening joined the spinoff as a formidable ranch owner, and now it's been revealed that esteemed, award-winning actor Ed Harris has joined the cast in a role that doesn't quite fit into what one might expect from the star of such projects as Westworld, Frontera, Sweetwater, Appaloosa, and more.
Ed Harris Will Play Mild-Mannered Everett McKinney
Per Deadline, Ed Harris' new spinoff character won't be a ruthless cowboy hellbent on revenge, and it doesn't sound like he'll be fighting tooth and nail to save his humble ranch. In fact, it doesn't sound at all like the kind of character that he would jump into for a Taylor Sheridan series, where violence and vengeance are loyal bedfellows.
Harris' Everett McKinney is described as being a "weathered veteran," which tracks, but also a veterinarian who possibly treats animals with more care and empathy than he allows for humans. It's also noted that Everett boasts a good sense of humor.
No complaints or anything, but it is wild to think of the hard-edged actor playing a jovial animal-lover in a Yellowstone-verse series. Or any other Taylor Sheridan show, for that matter. I'd also be shocked if Harris was portraying the same character on Landman or Tulsa King.
As such, the majority of my brain is already convinced that Mr. McKinney here has a bunch of awful skeletons in his closet that he hides behind his sense of humor and his ability to cure birds and shit. I can already see it now: Rip calls Everett over to his and Beth's new home to take a look at a sick horse, and the vet will suddenly get PTSD and start blaming Rip for purposefully hurting the animal, and then the all-out massacres start.
With a premiere date that'll likely come after the 2025 TV shedule has wrapped, Rip and Beth's Yellowstone spinoff will likely continue unveiling new cast members in the near future, so stay tuned!
