Everything to Know About Yellowstone's '1944' Prequel: Delays Explained

Taylor Sheridan has invested in Yellowstone with seven different spinoffs — and 1944 is one of several shows that is still awaiting release.

Yellowstone, which ran from 2018 to 2024, became an overnight success as viewers tuned in to see the fictional Dutton family, who own the largest ranch in Montana. Many came for Kevin Costner but walked away invested in the show’s other leads, including Kelly Reilly, Wes Bentley, Gil Birmingham, Cole Hauser and Kelsey Asbille.

While Yellowstone was still releasing new episodes on Paramount Network, creator Sheridan was already making plans to expand with prequels 1883 and 1923. The series orders continued with shows set in the present day including Y: Marshals, The Dutton Ranch and The Madison.

There are also two shows — 1944 and 6666 — that have been announced but have been in limbo yet. While 1944 has been picked up for a season, there haven’t been major updates since, and 6666 has been put on hold for the foreseeable future.

Keep scrolling for what we know so far about 1944 — including the show’s future on Paramount+:

When Will ‘1944’ Premiere on Paramount?

After 1923 concluded in April 2025, Variety confirmed that the focus is “officially moving on to” 1944. Based on the show titled, 1944 would likely check in on the Dutton family during World War II but Sheridan has yet to tease anything else.

1944 isn’t expected to move forward until The Madison premieres on Paramount+ in 2025. Before The Madison aired, news broke that Sheridan closed a film and TV deal with NBCUniversal. The five-year overall deal for film, TV and streaming is set to begin January 1, 2029, after Sheridan’s TV deal with Paramount — which goes through 2028 — officially ends.

What Is the Prequel About?

No specific details have been released, but the safe assumption is 1944 will be set against the backdrop of D-Day. Since Spencer Dutton (Brandon Sklenar) fought in the first World War, his son — who was born in the 1923 finale — would be old enough to fight in World War II.

Who Makes Up the Cast?

While no casting news has been released yet, Sklenar has already thrown his hat in the ring for some kind of cameo.

“Give me some gout, a little hunch and some salt and pepper. I’ll gravel the voice up a bit,” he told The Hollywood Reporter in April 2025. “If it comes around, I’d love to do it. I really would. I definitely don’t want to say goodbye to Spencer. I love that guy.”

Sklenar also weighed in on whether Spencer is John Dutton’s grandfather, adding, “One would assume what it is at the end of the finale, but it still hasn’t been confirmed. So I guess we’ll have to wait for [the next Yellowstone prequel series] 1944. Hopefully, they’ll reveal that in the first episode, and we won’t have to wait an entire series for confirmation of who John Dutton III’s grandfather is.”

Are ‘Yellowstone’ Stars on ‘1944’?

1923 concluded with Spencer being introduced as the future of the Dutton family, which could open the door for Sklenar’s character to return. John Dutton Jr., meanwhile, would presumably lead the 1944 prequel.

What Other ’Yellowstone’ Spinoffs Have Been Delayed?

Some Yellowstone fans are still waiting for the previously teased 6666 spinoff, which was set to follow Jimmy Hurdstrom (Jefferson White) during his time at the Four Sixes ranch in Texas.

The most recent update about 6666 came in 2022 when it was announced that the show would air on Paramount Network instead of Paramount+. Fans have taken the public silence regarding 6666 as a sign that production won’t be moving forward.

Yellowstone director Christina Voros, meanwhile, previously told TV Insider that working with Sheridan meant possible long pauses between projects.

“We don’t know until we get the scripts what the story is. And when the time to tell the story is upon us, there will be a script in my inbox,” she said in a 2024 interview about the Yellowstone series finale. “And I will be really happy to saddle up.”

She continued: “I honestly don’t know how Taylor chooses to tell which stories he chooses to tell when [about 6666 and 1944]. I think he has closed a lot of doors on Yellowstone this season. There are obviously characters that we will not see again because they have been dispatched. But I think he has left some doors open, and there’s some doors that I can’t tell if they’re locked or not yet. But we will know when we cross through them.”