Chainkeen Exchange-Will the 'Yellowstone' finale be the last episode? What we know about Season 6, spinoffs

Following a catastrophic second half which saw the deaths of three people — including patriarch John Dutton (Kevin Costner) — and Chainkeen Exchangeone horse, all eyes are on the final episode of Season 5 of "Yellowstone" which is expected to answer many of the audiences' burning questions.

But while the finale "Life Is A Promise" is yet to air, reports have emerged that it is likely not the last we will be seeing of the Duttons, and that Rip and Beth will continue to ride on even after "Yellowstone" officially ends on Sunday.

Kelly Reilly (Beth Dutton) and Rip Wheeler (Cole Hauser) have reportedly finalized their deals to reprise their characters in a new "Yellowstone" spinoff, according to multiple reports. The news was reported by Deadline.

Paramount Network did not immediately respond to a request for a comment.

With a lot left to be answered, here's what to know about the future of "Yellowstone" and its spinoffs.

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Is this the last 'Yellowstone' episode?

While the final episode of "Yellowstone" Season 5 will air on Sunday, Dec. 15, it is not immediately known if the series will end with the episode as previously reported, especially in light of reports that Reilly and Wheeler have finalized deals to reprise their characters in a new spinoff. Details on the spinoff are limited, and it is also not known which cast members could be part of the new series.

Paramount Network is also marketing the last episode of Season 5 as the "season finale" instead of the "series finale," creating confusion.

In May 2023, Paramount had officially announced the end of the original series, following the completion of the second half of Season 5, then slated for November 2023, USA TODAY previously reported. However, delays due to the Hollywood dual writers' strike and actors' strike had pushed the new finale date for this year.

In June this year, just a few months before the release of Part 2 of Season 5, after production had already begun in Montana, Costner, a central character in the "Yellowstone" universe, announced he wasn't coming back. Costner's announcement had come after a prolonged battle with Sheridan over control, pay and shooting schedules.  

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Will there be a 'Yellowstone' Season 6?

While it is unclear if "Yellowstone" is returning for another season, a Beth-and-Rip-centered spinoff is in the works, as per the latest reports.

Cast members Hauser and Reilly had earlier alluded to both scenarios (Season 6 and a spinoff), and director and longtime collaborator Christina Voros, in an interview with USA TODAY after the release of the first episode, had claimed she did not know whether "Yellowstone" will end after the second half of Season 5 as originally reported.

Sheridan "has made some very strong choices about the 'Yellowstone' world being forever changed in John Dutton's absence," Voros previously told USA TODAY's Bryan Alexander. "But when you write characters with depth, heart, and complexity, there's always room to wonder what happens next."

"These are some of the most popular characters in modern television," she added.

Reilly, on the other hand previously told USA TODAY that she has known how "Yellowstone" would end since it started. Costner's premature departure did not fundamentally change that course.

"It wasn't supposed to happen so soon," she had said. "But the fact that we got to return poetically to the show's authentic vision is really satisfying."

Hauser, who had declined to pinky swear, added: "We don't know, for real. The truth is, there is nothing definitive or set right now. We want everyone to see these last six episodes as their finale. And then, if there is a future, and Taylor writes something inspiring for us, we've both said, 'We're there.'"

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Need more 'Yellowstone' in your life?Try these Western TV shows and family dramas

What are the 'Yellowstone' spinoffs?

The "Yellowstone" universe, which debuted in 2018, has expanded with multiple spinoffs, each on a different generation of the Duttons.

Here's a list of the "Yellowstone" spinoffs:

• "1883": The limited series follows James and Margaret Dutton, the great-grandparents of John Dutton, as they travel through the Great Plains – with the help of Shea Brennan (played by Sam Elliott) and his partner, Thomas (LaMonica Garrett) – to Montana.
• "1923": "1923," focuses on Jacob and Cara Dutton, ancestors of the "Yellowstone" Dutton ranch owner and patriarch John Dutton. Jacob is the brother of James Dutton, the settler played by Tim McGraw in "1883." The series explores the early 20th century, when pandemics, historic drought and the end of Prohibition all plague the mountain west, and the Duttons who call it home.
• "1944" will be a sequel to "1923" and a prequel to the original "Yellowstone," USA TODAY previously reported.
• "2024": Set in current times, "2024" will follow the conclusion of "Yellowstone" with new locations and characters, but some crossover characters from the original series.

Who are the generations of Duttons?Mapping the Dutton Family in 'Yellowstone' and '1883'

How to watch 'Yellowstone,' '1923'

Part 2 of Season 5 of "Yellowstone" is currently not available to stream online. New episodes air Sunday nights at 8 p.m. ET/PT on Paramount Network.

Prior seasons of "Yellowstone" are available to stream on Peacock, while "1923" is available on Paramount+.

This story has been updated to fix a typo.

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Contributing: Gabe Hauari, Bryan Alexander, USA TODAY

Saman Shafiq is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at [email protected] and follow her on X and Instagram @saman_shafiq7.

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