1944: Everything to know about the next Yellowstone spin-off

Following Yellowstone and 1923, Taylor Sheridan enthusiasts are looking forward to 1944, a Yellowstone spin-off television series set during the titular year. Although the release time of the show remains under wraps, since the show was announced in 2023, and 1923 recently concluded, following previous release patterns, the show's release window can be expected to fall within the range of 2026- 2027.

Disclaimer: This article contains spoilers for 1923. Readers' discretion is advised.

Regarding the cast of the show, nothing has been announced yet, but judging by the Yellowstone universe developments, viewers anticipate that 1944 will include Spencer Dutton who will be around 21 years older than what the viewers saw him in 1923. There is also a huge possibility that the upcoming show will center on John Dutton Jr., Spencer Dutton's son who will be in his twenties at the time.

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Everything there is to know about 1944, the Yellowstone spinoff series

The upcoming Yellowstone spinoff series is likely to be focused on John Dutton II (Image via Getty)

Pretty much everything regarding 1944 is being kept under wraps. However, a few inferences regarding its cast and plot can be made based on what happened within the Yellowstone universe previously.

1923, another spinoff of the Yellowstone series concluded with a great emphasis on Spencer Dutton, James and Margaret Dutton's son who was a part of World War I. The series also highlighted that Spencer lost his wife Alex and lived another 45 years after the events of 1923 and brought up their son John Dutton II.

So, based on the timeline, John Dutton II would be around 21 years old in 1944, and thus there is a strong possibility that the next show would be about him. To add to this, there are strong chances that he will play a crucial part in World War II.

For those who are unsure of John Dutton II's lineage, he is the father of John Dutton III, the central character in the Yellowstone series played by Kevin Costner for nearly 5 seasons.

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What are the chances of Brandon Sklenar returning to 1944?

The possibility of Brandon Sklenar reprising Spencer Dutton in 1944 appears to be quite strong. As mentioned above, it was emphasized in 1923 that Spencer's character survived for another 45 years after the show and cared for his and Alex's son, John Dutton II. Hence, barring the possibility of an extreme casting switch, Sklenar can be anticipated to be a part of the new series.

Sklenar himself has confirmed interest in being part of the new show in a recent interview with Variety on April 6, 2025. Speaking with the interviewer, when asked whether Sklenar would want to tell the story of Spencer Dutton in the upcoming spinoff series without Alex and with their son John Dutton II, he said:

"Oh yeah, we are going to do 1933, ‘43, ‘53, ‘63. I’m really looking forward to ‘63. There’s a lot to draw from there. Then there’s Spencer at Woodstock as an old man, I’m looking forward to filming those scenes. I think he would be really big into [Creedence Clearwater Revival]."

After saying this, when Julia Schlaepfer who plays Alexandra/Alex in the show reminded him that he could be getting in trouble for saying what he said, Sklenar added:

"I know, I know. Listen, I know that “1944” is a thing that they are planning on doing here, and maybe we see Spencer in 1944. That is something I would be interested in doing. I love this character."

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