How Will Taylor Sheridan’s Yellowstone Spinoff The Madison Tie Into The Dutton Family’s Story?

By Sean Morrison

Published Feb 16, 2025

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Custom image by Sean Morrison

After the ending of Yellowstone, many Taylor Sheridan fans are likely wondering how the spinoff show Yellowstone spinoff show. Only the premise of the show, that the Clyburn family moves to Montana after their patriarch dies in a plane crash, has been revealed, as well as some major casting news. Currently, the only thing that links The Madison to Yellowstone is its Montana setting, so fans of the franchise are probably wondering how the Clyburns' story will intersect with the Duttons'.

After the confirmed Beth and Rip spinoff in the works, the overarching story of the Duttons and their struggle to control the Yellowstone is mostly over. With that in mind, it's hard to determine exactly how The Madison will fit into the larger Yellowstone franchise, but there are a few likely options Taylor Sheridan could use.

The Madison’s Clyburn Family Could Interact With Beth & Rip Or Kayce & Monica Dutton

Beth, Rip, Kayce, & Monica All Stayed In Montana & Could Easily Interact With The Clyburns

Kelly Reilly as Beth Dutton and Luke Grimes as Kayce Dutton in Yellowstone. — Custom Image by Yailin Chacon

The simplest way to have The Madison intersect with Yellowstone would be to have the Clyburn family meet some of the remaining Duttons. Beth, Rip, Kayce, and Monica all remained in Montana after the ending of Yellowstone, which means they should still be around when the Clyburns come to town. The Clyburn family could easily move near either Beth or Kayce's new independent ranches and interact with them as neighbors. They will, after all, have to adjust to life in Montana, and the Dutton children could help them transition. Alternatively, they could just appear as a cameo to link the two stories together.

Kayce in Yellowstone season 5, episode 9 looking sad while Michelle Pfeiffer is in Ant-Man and the Wasp Quantumania

Yellowstone Director Clarifies How Spinoff The Madison Connects To Main Series

Yellowstone director Christina Alexandra Voros offers a clarifying update, explaining how spinoff The Madison connects to the main show.

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Of the two remaining Duttons, Kayce is probably more likely to appear in The Madison than Beth is. Beth and Rip are already scheduled to return in their own spinoff show, so it would make more sense to check up on Kayce, Monica, and Tate instead.

Additionally, Beth and Rip will have their own problems to deal with in the spinoff show, and won't need to tie into The Madison to draw in viewers. Kayce and Monica, on the other hand, don't have any new stories on the horizon, which makes them perfect candidates to appear in a different spinoff like The Madison.

The Clyburn Family Could Also Run Into Chief Rainwater In The Madison

Chief Rainwater Is The Biggest Power Player In Montana Now - Anything The Clyburns Do Will Put Them Up Against Him

Even if the Clyburns don't directly interact with a Dutton, they could still encounter a major Yellowstone character. After Kayce sold the Yellowstone to Chief Rainwater, he became the most influential power player in Montana. He now manages the largest track of private land in the entire state, and his preexisting business interests already made him formidable. No matter what the Clyburns try to do in The Madison, they'll almost certainly have to contend with Rainwater in some way. Whether that's by having their land developments opposed or simply running afoul of the reservation, Rainwater could easily show up in The Madison.

The Madison Could Also Be Taylor Sheridan’s Replacement For Yellowstone

The Madison Has All The Makings Of A New Franchise To Rival Yellowstone

There's also a chance that The Madison won't focus as much on tying into Yellowstone as it will focus on trying to replace Yellowstone. The Madison already sounds eerily similar to Yellowstone: both shows are about broken families (presumably) trying to build and maintain an empire in Montana. Additionally, since most of the Duttons are dead or scattered to the wind, The Madison presents Sheridan a chance to continue the modern-day story of Western drama and power plays with a new cast of characters. The Madison is a fresh start, so Sheridan won't be trapped like he was when Kevin Costner left Yellowstone.

Taylor Sheridan's and Potential Series and Movies	Release Dates
1923 season 2	February 23, 2025
6666 Yellowstone spinoff	TBD
Empire of the Summer Moon	TBD
The Madison Yellowstone spinoff	TBD
Mayor of Kingstown season 4	TBD
Tulsa King season 3	TBD
Beth Dutton & Rip Wheeler Yellowstone Spinoff	TBD
Landman season 2	Unconfirmed
1944 Yellowstone Spinoff	Unconfirmed

The cast of The Madison is another reason it may become a Yellowstone replacement. Several massive stars have already signed on for The Madison, including Michelle Pfeiffer, Patrick J. Adams, and Elle Chapman. Additionally, while it isn't confirmed, Kurt Russell has been rumored to star in The Madison. If both Russell and Pfeiffer do prove to be leading The Madison, the Yellowstone spinoff will have even more star power than Kevin Costner lent to the original series. It seems like Sheridan may be more interested in transplanting some familiar features of Yellowstone over to The Madison, rather than tying it into the earlier series.