The perfect Kevin Costner replacement for Beth and Rip’s spinoff series is actually an old Western rival who was almost cast in another Yellowstone spinoff. Ever since Taylor Sheridan’s neo-Western drama series Yellowstone was disappointingly cut short after season 5, there have been a few spinoff shows proposed to carry on the characters’ stories. Beth and Rip’s Yellowstone spinoff was announced during the second half of season 5, and while details, including its title and supporting cast, remain fairly elusive, we know that the show will include the return of Kelly Reilly (Beth Dutton) and Cole Hauser (Rip Wheeler).
Yellowstone struggled to maintain its momentum towards the end, especially after Kevin Costner (John Dutton III) unexpectedly quit the show. Therefore, there is hope that Beth and Rip’s new spinoff will revive the franchise with a new focus, and perhaps even fulfill the storylines that would have happened in Yellowstone’s planned seasons 6 and 7. Of course, Costner’s swift exit has caused a problem for Yellowstone’s universe due to the prominence of his character. Consequently, it looks like Beth and Rip’s Yellowstone spinoff will be looking for a Kevin Costner replacement to fill a similar role in the new show.
Kurt Russell Would Be A Perfect Kevin Costner-Type For Beth & Rip’s Spinoff
Russell Has The Western History To Pull It Off
According to a report by Puck, the Beth and Rip spinoff show will begin filming in the summer, and they are “looking to cast a Kevin Costner type that is definitely not Costner to join them.” The need for a new “Kevin Costner-type” character comes after Costner’s swift exit led to an unfortunate off-screen death for John Dutton. As a result, there is now a missing personality in the Yellowstone universe, and the new character must have a similar sense of gravitas and perhaps even notoriety to the Western genre, just like Costner, to fill that gap.
Russell’s notoriety would also bring a sense of gravitas to his character on-screen among lesser-known actors
While there are many potential contenders to replace Kevin Costner in Yellowstone’s Beth and Rip spinoff show, Western legend Kurt Russell would actually be perfect for this role. Having a vivid background in Western movies, Russell knows the genre well enough to have the same characterization that Costner had as John Dutton. Furthermore, Kurt Russell’s notoriety would also bring a sense of gravitas to his character on-screen among lesser-known actors.
Kurt Russell Was Heavily Linked To Yellowstone’s Next Spinoff
The Madison’s Cast List Is Not Officially Confirmed
Interestingly, despite fitting the character specification for Beth and Rip’s spinoff, Kurt Russell was actually heavily linked to another upcoming Yellowstone spinoff called The Madison. Confirmed to be in development, The Madison will reportedly follow the Clyburn family’s relocation to Montana following the death of their patriarch, with Michelle Pfeifer set as the lead character. Kurt Russell was supposedly in talks to be cast in this Yellowstone spinoff in 2024, with reports seemingly confirming the actor was attached to the project. However, there has been no official confirmation and Russell has not been cast in The Madison as of yet.
Even with Kurt Russell not being confirmed for The Madison’s cast, I would love to see him in a Taylor Sheridan show due to his stature and history in the Western genre. In fact, Kurt Russell not being cast in either Yellowstone show would be disappointing and a missed opportunity, especially with such a big name like Kevin Costner no longer attached. However, with Michelle Pfeifer supposedly headlining The Madison’s cast, it would make more sense for Kurt Russell to appear in Beth and Rip’s spinoff show instead as the big name of this other spinoff.
Kurt Russell Replacing Kevin Costner Would Perfectly Fit Their Westerns History
Russell Replacing Costner Mirrors Their Wyatt Earp Battle
If Kurt Russell did replace Kevin Costner in Yellowstone, it would fit perfectly with their interesting Western history. The two actors have been “rivals” for a long time, ever since they both featured in Wyatt Earp projects in the 1990s; Russell famously played Wyatt Earp in Tombstone in 1993, and Costner played the same role in 1994’s Wyatt Earp. As a result of the projects’ similarities and release dates, Kevin Costner and Kurt Russell had a box office battle, although Tombstone was a clear winner in the end, for being the highest-grossing movie that was also more critically favored.
Both Costner and Russell brought something different to their portrayals of Wyatt Earp. While Russell’s Earp was more charismatic, Costner’s version of the character was notoriously aggressive. Consequently, it can be rather subjective as to whether you think Kevin Costner’s Wyatt Earp or Kurt Russell’s Tombstone was the best Western movie. Regardless, if Kurt Russell really were to be Costner’s replacement, it would be rather fitting given their respective histories in the Western genre.