Of all the expanding franchises on television today, it is Taylor Sheridan‘s Yellowstone universe that feels as if it could grow exponentially. Time and time again, Sheridan and Paramount have proven that fans across the world can’t get enough of the cowboy drama, as showcased most recently with the latest addition, Dutton Ranch. Following the ups and downs of Rip (Cole Hauser) and Beth’s (Kelly Reilly) new life in South Texas, the show became an instant streaming sensation, even breaking the record for the biggest original series debut in the history of Paramount+.

But of the many shows in the Yellowstone universe, from 1923 to Marshals, one has now been missing for several years. Back in 2022, at Paramount‘s Upfront presentation, it was announced that a fictionalized spin-off based on the Four Sixes Ranch in Texas was in the works, following Jimmy Hurdstrom’s (Jefferson White) banishment from the Dutton Ranch after breaking John’s (Kevin Costner) trust. This was after, in 2020, Sheridan had purchased the real ranch with a group of investors.

News following this purchase and spin-off reveal then went quiet, with hope of the series materializing slowly fading as newer projects were developed. Now, Sheridan himself has, at last, had the final word, speaking on the Rodeo Time podcast. “I would never fictionalize that ranch,” he categorically confirmed, adding, “People thought that that was going to be a thing, but I would never do that.” He continued, “I’ve actually got on my computer all the scenes of Jimmy at the 6666 pulled out and strung together, and it makes its own perfect little movie. You watch him go there as this misfit, and leave as a man and a respected cowboy.”

Taylor Sheridan Didn’t Want to “Trivialize” Real Lives with a 6666 Spin-Off

With the ranch existing in King County, Texas, any fictional production would have to delicately weave between real lives. This was a big sticking point for Sheridan, who was keen not to “trivialize” the working ranch. “So now I’m trivializing and fictionalizing something where real people work, and they raise their families there, and I could never do that to them,” he added. “I could never do that to the cowboys that dedicated themselves, and everybody that works on that ranch. I’m very protective of the Sixes, and it’s a big responsibility to be the person who has to protect that ranch, so I have to be very, very careful with it.”

via Collider