Now that the Yellowstone prequel 1923 has finished with a heartbreaking finale, all eyes are on the next prequel in the franchise, 1944.
Be forewarned that there will be some spoilers for 1923’s final episode in this article. Variety has confirmed that 1923 ended with two seasons, and the franchise will now skip ahead 21 years. But who will be in the cast?
As fans know, Spencer Dutton survived the showdown between the Dutton family and its rich developer enemy, played by Timothy Dalton. However, his wife, Alex, died from the results of hypothermia after giving birth to their son, John Dutton, so she won’t be in 1944, which will be set in the height of World War II.
That has people trying to unravel the lingering mysteries in the Dutton family tree. It’s likely, due to the voiceover at the end of 1923, that the baby John Dutton will be featured as a young adult in 1944, although the official cast list and release date have not yet been announced.
But how does this all tie into Kevin Costner’s character?
Costner’s character’s name was John Dutton III, and he was born in April 1959, so he obviously won’t feature in 1944, even as a baby. Costner’s dad in the show is named John Dutton Jr., and the family name provides a clue. He was played in Yellowstone by Dabney Coleman, who died in 2024, according to People.
But is John Dutton Jr. the son of Spencer and Alex or Jack and Elizabeth?
Michelle Randolph arrives at the Los Angeles Premiere Of Paramount+ Series “1923” Season 2 at Harmony Gold on February 19, 2025 in Los Angeles, California.
Maya Dehlin Spach/Getty Images
It’s not clear yet whether John Dutton, the baby in 1923, is the direct ancestor of Kevin Costner’s John Dutton, despite the coincidence of the name. Remember that Elizabeth, the wife of the deceased Jack, is also pregnant at the end of 1923. So which baby ends up being the father of Costner’s character? Could Elizabeth also name her son John, after her husband Jack and his father John Dutton 1? That’s’ unclear, according to the actress who plays Elizabeth, Michelle Randolph. But it’s possible. And there are some major clues.
It’s almost certain fans will see Spencer again in 1944, though, because he would be young enough, and he survived the 1923 finale.
“Is the door is still open? I don’t know. And so, like, you can’t confirm then, like, it could go either way. I feel like everyone has their own theory, but I can confidently say that it’s not confirmed,” Randolph told CinemaBlend.
Randolph also told People that Elizabeth is definitely still pregnant at the end of 1923. That got confusing because she was pregnant, suffered a miscarriage, and then became pregnant again before her husband died.
“Where that baby goes, I do not know,” Randolph told People.
“Elizabeth walks away pregnant. We assume she’s going back to Boston. We don’t know where she’s going,” Randolph added to People. “I really had to kind of create my own storyline, and not get attached to it, at the same time.” Will Elizabeth return to the Dutton family ranch and make an appearance in 1944? That’s unclear.
We do know that Sklenar’s character Spencer ends up in a relationship with an unnamed widow and has another child, although he never remarries. That’s revealed in the narration in 1923. Could this widow be Elizabeth? Also unclear.
Brandon Sklenar attends CinemaCon 2025 – The State of the Industry and Lionsgate Presentation at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace during CinemaCon, the official convention of Cinema United, on April 1, 2025, in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images
Tim McGraw’s character in 1883 was the ancestor of Costner’s John Dutton. According to CinemaBlend, he was the great-great grandfather of Costner’s character.
That would mean he’s more likely the direct descendant of Elizabeth and Jack’s baby, as James would be the great-great grandfather of Costner’s John, John 1 would be his great-grandfather, Jack would be his grandfather and the unnamed baby (possibly) would be his dad.
However, some sites say instead that James Dutton was the great-grandfather of Costner’s character, and that, of course, is key, as that would open up the possibility that Spencer was his grandfather, not Jack.
Remember that Spencer Dutton was the uncle of Jack, so he’s one generation older.
The release date for
1944
has not yet been released.
