When 1883 made its debut last year, Taylor Sheridan‘s behemoth Yellowstone had already become a major hit among critics and audiences alike. Since then, the actor-turned-producer has created a number of other spinoffs further expanding the world of Yellowstone and, by extension, the Duttons.
The most recent prequel to hit Paramount Plus and thrill audiences is the limited series, 1923, starring the iconic Harrison Ford. As we impatiently wait for the next all-new episode of Yellowstone‘s second prequel to make its debut, Taylor Sheridan is speaking out about why exactly he chose 1923 to continue the tales of 1883.
Though the widely-renowned cinematic icon has a number of reasons for choosing the year 1923 to follow up with the events of 1883, Sheridan said it was the social and agricultural struggles of the time that inspired the next generation of Duttons.
To The Hollywood Reporter, he explained, “I chose that moment in time to peek back in because you’re seeing the children that we’ve met back in 1883 attempting to raise another generation of Dutton.”
That connection to 1883 is especially important as the struggles the Dutton children faced at the time, most prominently the dangers presented by their journey along the Oregon Trail, only multiplied 10-fold in the 50 years between the two time periods.
Sheridan explained that the year 1923 is significant because it marked “a time of great drought, a time of Prohibition, at a time of all this expansion—the Wild West was truly becoming a relevant center of resources.”
Essentially, it represented a pivotal moment in American history. And Taylor Sheridan provides audiences a glimpse of that through the lens of 1923‘s branch of the Dutton family tree.
Paramount Executive Promises Even More New Content From Taylor Sheridan
1923 represents another major win for producer Taylor Sheridan, however, the ambitious writer has tons more planned according to an executive from Paramount Global.
“The appetite for this content is so voracious,” boasted Tanya Giles, Paramount’s Chief Programming Officer, in a recent interview about the network’s work with Sheridan. “We’re trying to keep up with the demand and with Taylor [Sheridan’s] ability to do that.”
Although Yellowstone isn’t currently accessible on Paramount Plus due to streaming rights, handfuls of other Taylor Sheridan dramas are still available on the popular platform.
His biggest include—obviously—1923, but also its predecessor 1883, the Jeremy Renner modern-day drama Mayor of Kingstown, and the producer’s latest project Tulsa King, starring Hollywood icon Sylvester Stallone.
Giles added while speaking about Taylor Sheridan’s ongoing projects, “There’s a lot more coming, new stuff is coming. This year, Tulsa King just ended, Mayor of Kingstown is coming back, and then we have more this summer.”