Yellowstone’s 5-Year-Old Mistake: The Streaming Deal That Ruined Everything!

by

The 2018 neo-Western series “Yellowstone,” created by Taylor Sheridan, became incredibly popular and successful over its five-season run. It enthralled viewers worldwide with its gripping story about the Dutton family’s struggle to hold onto their stunning ranch in rural Montana amidst constant conflict. Spinoffs and sequels such as “1883” and “1923” followed, with even more planned for the future. Despite the main series ending, there are still numerous Yellowstone stories yet to be told through upcoming series.

Despite Yellowstone’s impressive success, its history hasn’t been entirely smooth sailing. A significant misstep, which lingers even today, might have impacted its popularity quite substantially. Five years ago, Paramount entered into an agreement with another prominent production company, aiming to broaden the scope of Yellowstone. Regrettably, this decision from half a decade ago continues to negatively affect the franchise up until now.

Yellowstone’s Confusing Streaming Rights, Explained

Yellowstone and Its Prequel Series Have Different Streaming Homes

5 years ago, executives made a decision that has negatively impacted the Yellowstone franchise since then. The series and its spinoffs are currently produced and distributed by Paramount Pictures. Due to lower ratings during its initial seasons, these episodes became accessible in 2020. Later on, all seasons of Yellowstone were exclusively offered for streaming on Peacock. Interestingly, Paramount+’s launch didn’t occur until March 2021, a time when the popularity of Yellowstone had grown significantly to become one of the studio’s most significant properties. Ironically, a series that could have boosted Paramount+’s marketing was instead made exclusively available on a rival streaming service.

In a twist that’s left fans scratching their heads, Paramount’s agreement with NBC split the Yellowstone universe at a time when it was poised for growth. The original 2018 series, Yellowstone, can only be streamed on Peacock, while exclusive content is reserved for Paramount+. This means that viewers who want to catch up on all the series in Taylor Sheridan’s neo-Western franchise will need a subscription to both services. In other words, to see everything Yellowstone has to offer, one needs access to both Paramount+ and Peacock. The confusion this has caused among fans, who wish for a single platform to call home for the Yellowstone universe, is understandable. However, given the success of each series under the Yellowstone brand, it seems unlikely that either Paramount+ or Peacock will relinquish any of them. Looking back five years, Paramount likely wishes they had never sold the streaming rights to Yellowstone.

Why Yellowstone’s Complicated Streaming Rights Hurt the Franchise

Yellowstone Fans Can’t Binge the Entire Franchise In One Place

Looking back, the streaming agreement we made with Peacock turned out to be a tough pill for both Yellowstone and our streaming platform, Paramount+. In 2022, I, as President of Paramount Global, expressed my disappointment about this deal during a gathering with investors, calling it “unfortunate.” Initially, the series wasn’t an instant hit, allowing us to feel at ease parting ways with its streaming rights.

However, as the show soared in popularity and received widespread critical acclaim, we began to regret our decision. It became increasingly apparent that we were inadvertently aiding Peacock’s growth, which was undeniably a bitter realization for us. The repercussions of this agreement didn’t just hurt Paramount but also had an impact on the broader franchise.

The unique streaming arrangement for Yellowstone may have limited its widespread appeal among casual viewers on Peacock, as they might not be aware of the two prequel series available on Paramount+. Conversely, fans who wish to watch 1883 and 1923 on Paramount+ may miss out on Yellowstone or may not even know it exists. This lack of interconnectedness among the shows’ streaming platforms seems to hinder the franchise’s potential popularity growth. It is hard to gauge how much more successful Yellowstone’s spin-offs could be if they were all accessible through a single platform.

Moreover, during the fifth season of Yellowstone, new episodes premiered on the Paramount network, but these new additions weren’t available on Peacock for quite some time. Now, they are available in one place, but fans who preferred streaming-exclusive content had to wait months without being spoiled about the show.

In essence, the streaming arrangement of Yellowstone has been a series of unfortunate mistakes that may have harmed the franchise more with each step.

What’s Next for the Yellowstone Franchise?

Yellowstone’s Future Could Reflect a New Streaming Plan

In spite of encountering some hurdles with streaming, the Yellowstone franchise continues to thrive. Originally planned for six seasons, the main series concluded after five due to Kevin Costner’s mid-season departure. However, several plotlines initially intended for season six are set to be reimagined in two upcoming spin-off series. The first, titled Dutton Ranch, will delve into the further escapades of Beth Dutton and Rip Wheeler as they embark on a new ranch venture in rural Montana. The second, known as Y: Marshalls, will adopt the format of procedural television, . It’s expected that both series will find their exclusive streaming platform on Paramount+, as Peacock only holds rights to the original series.

As a devoted cinephile, I’m thrilled to share that I’ll be taking the lead in an upcoming series titled “The Clyburns”. This captivating tale veers away from the emotive narrative of the Dutton family and delves into the lives of the wealthy Clyburns, a New York City family who relocate to rural Montana following a tragic accident that claims their patriarch.

Intriguing spinoffs are also being whispered about. One such project is “6666”, set on the Four Sixes Ranch in Fort Worth, Texas. Another enticing prospect is “1944”, which serves as a sequel to “1923”, following Spencer Dutton (Brandon Sklenar) as he navigates a world torn apart by World War II.

Regardless of the challenges experienced with streaming, the show “Yellowstone” remains incredibly well-liked currently. Although the initial series maintains a presence on Peacock, the fact that it’s reaching an end means that any subsequent series will be found exclusively on Paramount+.

Read More

2025-05-24 04:03