The perfect Kevin Costner replacement for Beth and Rip’s spinoff series is actually an old Western rival who was almost cast in anotherYellowstonespinoff. Ever since Taylor Sheridan’s neo-Western drama seriesYellowstonewas disappointingly cut short after season 5, there have been a few spinoff shows proposed to carry on the characters’ stories.Beth and Rip’sYellowstonespinoffwas announced during the second half of season 5, and while details, including its title and supporting cast, remain fairly elusive, we know that the show will include the return of Kelly Reilly (Beth Dutton) and Cole Hauser (Rip Wheeler).

Yellowstonestruggled to maintain its momentum towards the end, especially afterKevin Costner (John Dutton III) unexpectedly quit the show. Therefore, there is hope that Beth and Rip’s new spinoff will revive the franchise with a new focus, and perhaps even fulfill the storylines that would have happened inYellowstone’splanned seasons 6 and 7. Of course,Costner’s swift exit has caused a problem forYellowstone’suniversedue to the prominence of his character. Consequently, it looks likeBeth and Rip’sYellowstonespinoff will be looking for a Kevin Costner replacementto fill a similar role in the new show.

Kurt Russell as Wyatt Earp brandishing his Peacemaker gun in Tombstone

Kurt Russell Would Be A Perfect Kevin Costner-Type For Beth & Rip’s Spinoff

Russell Has The Western History To Pull It Off

According to a report byPuck, the Beth and Rip spinoff show will begin filming in the summer, andthey are “looking to cast a Kevin Costner type that is definitely not Costner to join them.”The need for a new “Kevin Costner-type” character comes after Costner’s swift exit led to an unfortunate off-screen death for John Dutton. As a result, there is now a missing personality in theYellowstoneuniverse, and the new character must have a similar sense of gravitas and perhaps even notoriety to the Western genre, just like Costner, to fill that gap.

Russell’s notoriety would also bring a sense of gravitas to his character on-screen among lesser-known actors

Jacob (Harrison Ford) and Cara Dutton (Helen Mirren) from 1923 with Rip Wheeler (Cole Hauser) from Yellowstone and Elsa Dutton (Isabel May) from 1883

While there are many potential contenders toreplace Kevin Costner inYellowstone’sBeth and Rip spinoff show, Western legend Kurt Russell would actually be perfect for this role.Having a vivid background in Western movies, Russell knows the genre wellenough to have the same characterization that Costner had as John Dutton. Furthermore, Kurt Russell’s notoriety would also bring a sense of gravitas to his character on-screen among lesser-known actors.

Kurt Russell Was Heavily Linked To Yellowstone’s Next Spinoff

The Madison’s Cast List Is Not Officially Confirmed

Interestingly, despite fitting the character specification for Beth and Rip’s spinoff,Kurt Russell was actually heavily linked to another upcomingYellowstonespinoff calledThe Madison.Confirmed to be in development,The Madisonwill reportedly follow the Clyburn family’s relocation to Montana following the death of their patriarch, with Michelle Pfeifer set as the lead character.Kurt Russell was supposedly in talks to be cast in thisYellowstonespinoffin 2024, with reports seemingly confirming the actor was attached to the project. However, there has been no official confirmation and Russell has not been cast inThe Madisonas of yet.

The Madison: Cast, Story & Everything We Know About The Yellowstone Spinoff

Taylor Sheridan’s TV empire is expanding with the announcement of The Madison, a new series which is officially a spinoff of Yellowstone.

Even with Kurt Russell not being confirmed forThe Madison’scast, I would love to see him in a Taylor Sheridan show due to his stature and history in the Western genre. In fact, Kurt Russell not being cast in eitherYellowstoneshow would be disappointing and a missed opportunity, especially with such a big name like Kevin Costner no longer attached. However, with Michelle Pfeifer supposedly headliningThe Madison’scast,it would make more sense for Kurt Russell to appear in Beth and Rip’s spinoff show insteadas the big name of this other spinoff.

A composite image of Michelle Pfieffer and Kevin Costner as John Dutton in Yellowstone

Kurt Russell Replacing Kevin Costner Would Perfectly Fit Their Westerns History

Russell Replacing Costner Mirrors Their Wyatt Earp Battle

If Kurt Russell did replace Kevin Costner inYellowstone, it would fit perfectly with their interesting Western history.The two actors have been “rivals” for a long time, ever since they both featured in Wyatt Earp projects in the 1990s; Russell famously played Wyatt Earp inTombstonein 1993, and Costner played the same role in 1994’sWyatt Earp. As a result of the projects’ similarities and release dates,Kevin Costner and Kurt Russell had a box office battle, althoughTombstonewas a clear winner in the end, for being the highest-grossing movie that was also more critically favored.

$73 million

Yellowstone (2018) TV Show Poster

Kevin Costner

$55.9 million

Both Costner and Russell brought something different to their portrayals of Wyatt Earp. While Russell’s Earp was more charismatic, Costner’s version of the character was notoriously aggressive. Consequently, it can be rather subjective as to whether you think Kevin Costner’sWyatt EarporKurt Russell’sTombstonewas the best Western movie. Regardless, if Kurt Russell really were to be Costner’s replacement, it would be rather fitting given their respective histories in the Western genre.