Yellowstone Prequel Series Casts Sam Elliot, Tim McGraw, and Faith Hill

Previously announced as in the works for the Paramount+ streaming network, the Yellowstone prequel series has revealed its first official cast members including noted western star Sam Elliott plus country music stars Faith Hill and Tim McGraw. Titled 1883, the series logline reads: “1883 follows the Dutton family as they embark on a journey west through the Great Plains toward the last bastion of untamed America. It is a stark retelling of Western expansion, and an intense study of one family fleeing poverty to seek a better future in America’s promised land — Montana.” The series comes from Yellowstone creator Taylor Sheridan as part of his overall deal with the studio.

“It all starts with the writing, and Taylor Sheridan is a brilliant writer,” Elliott in a statement. “I think the western genre speaks clearly to both of us. The classic struggles of man against man, man against nature, and man against himself. It’s all there, in 1883, and I’m honored to be a part of it.” Eilliot will play the part of Shea Brennan, described as “a tough cowboy with immense sadness in his past. He has the herculean task of guiding a group from Texas to Montana, and he does not suffer fools.”

McGraw and Hill will take on the roles of James and Margaret Dutton, ancestors of Kevin Costner’s John Dutton from the flagship Yellowstone series, and leaders of the Dutton family in the post-Civil War era.

“This is truly a dream job,” McGraw said. “Taylor has found a way of storytelling that brilliantly creates these epic dramas and family sagas with so much depth and creativity. The Duttons are tremendous characters and it’s so thrilling to be able to bring them to life. As a kid growing up riding horses, you think about dream jobs like this and I am just so excited to work with this amazing cast and crew.”

“This is the opportunity of a lifetime,” Hill added. “The Duttons are a formidable family and it is an absolute dream to bring such a strong female character like Margaret Dutton to life. I am humbled and honored to work with Taylor and his entire team.”

‘Yellowstone’ is a massive hit show with tens of millions of fans – with ‘1883,” we are taking those fans back to the origin story, and in the process, turning the ‘Yellowstone’ world into a global hit franchise to fuel the growth of Paramount+,” said Chris McCarthy, President/CEO, MTV Entertainment Group. “We are thrilled to have Sam, Tim and Faith as the stars of Taylor Sheridan’s new series exclusively for Paramount+ around the world.”

1883 will be executive produced by Sheridan alongside John Linson, Art Linson, David Glasser, Ron Burkle and Bob Yari.