Kelly Reilly Teases A Big Shift For Taylor Sheridan In Dutton Ranch Season 2

The highly anticipated "Yellowstone" spin-off and sequel, "Dutton Ranch," has been renewed for a second season. The announcement came from Paramount+ on June 24, 2026, ahead of the season finale, which aired on July 3, 2026. However, things might be a bit different this time around. Changes were already on the horizon, as it was announced in April that Chad Feehan would be stepping down as showrunner. It seems that original "Yellowstone" creator Taylor Sheridan might have a bigger role to play in this upcoming season.

Executive producer and star of the series Kelly Reilly told The Hollywood Reporter that Sheridan "wants to be involved" with the next season. "So that feels like we earned this second season from all the work we've done before, and that's the thing I'm most proud of," Reilly elaborated. "Dutton Ranch" stood out as the first time Sheridan wasn't behind the scripts of this cast of beloved characters. This leap of faith was well received, as the series broke Paramount+ records with 12.9 million views in its first week. Sheridan currently holds an executive producing title on the show, but perhaps he's ready to jump back into the writers' room. "Dutton Ranch" fans unhappy about Rip and Beth's Season 1 storylines might find his involvement reassuring.

Taylor Sheridan's potential involvement in Season 2 of "Dutton Ranch" might have something to do with the behind-the-scenes showrunner drama that occurred earlier this year. Ex-showrunner Chad Feehan held his ground as a writer for the season but reportedly didn't mesh too well with the cast. Puck reported that Feehan "clashed on set" with stars Cole Hauser and Kelly Reilly. That being said, Feehan's writing set up a successful first season to build off of. Executive producer Christina Voros told ScreenRant that Feehan did "an exceptional job building a world of adversaries for Rip and Beth."

Benjamin Cavell will be stepping up as showrunner for Season 2 in place of Feehan. Cavell is best known for creating the military drama series "SEAL Team." There appears to be a pattern forming of showrunners leaving Sheridan-related shows over the years. In 2022, "Lioness" Season 1 showrunner Thomas Brady walked away after creative differences with Sheridan. Then, in 2023, Terrance King stepped down as showrunner on "Tulsa King," also due to creative differences (however, he eventually decided to stay on as a writer). Sheridan and Feehan have a history working together on the series "Lawmen: Bass Reeves," but it seems that Sheridan might be a bit territorial when it comes to his work. It can't be denied that anything "Yellowstone" related is Sheridan's baby.