Yellowstone‘s success will continue swirling despite initial star Kevin Costner leaving the building of Taylor Sheridan’s first juggernaut show. The former Sons Of Anarchy cop created his own TV world, and in doing so, he volleyed Paramount+ into the streaming stratosphere despite the original series only being streamable on Peacock. Plenty of people initially signed up to watch 1923 (with Harrison Ford and Helen Mirren) and 1883 (with Sam Elliott, who received a special Yellowstone shoutout in a clip that we shall discuss below), and that’s where the offshoots will continue to premiere.
The cowboy kings are largely dominating, and Sheridan himself is sitting on the equivalent of George R.R. Martin’s Iron Throne (as last seen in HBO’s House of the Dragon) but with the long game in mind. What also seems incredibly likely is that although other offshoots are in the works (including 1944 and 2024), one seems particularly destined to capture his worldview and own experiences at one of the most world-renowned ranches of all time. That would be 6666, so let’s dig in.
Plot
The show’s title points toward the real-life 6666 Ranch also colloquially known as the “Four Sixes” or even simply “the Sixes.”
The ranch originally took its name for a head of cattle with the “6666” brand, and Sheridan kept things even realer by purchasing the Four Sixes as well as filming some 1923 scenes upon the expansive grounds. He has planted seeds to the location in Yellowstone as well, so the show will likely feel like a logical extension to existing stories (especially Jefferson White’s Jimmy and those who have given him advice) while following the daily lives of the cowboys who live on the scene. Will there be soap operatic flourishes as well?
Well, obviously. When Sheridan originally pitched the Four Sixes’ then-owner Anne Marion on shooting Yellowstone footage there, he promised that it would become “the most famous ranch in America.” Mario wondered if there would be salacious material involved, and Sheridan responded, “Well, one cowboy is sleeping with a vet tech, but don’t tell me that’s not happening already.” Also? “I would like to masturbate one stallion.”
That act fell to Jimmy, so it’s hard to believe that isn’t a harbinger of his future as a pivotal part of 6666. Yet if you would like to hear something more PR-sounding, here’s the official series synopsis:
Founded when Comanches still ruled West Texas, no ranch in America is more steeped in the history of the West than the 6666. Still operating as it did two centuries before, and encompassing an entire county, the 6666 has inspired a new scripted series where the rule of law and the laws of nature merge in a place where the most dangerous thing one does is the next thing. The 6666 is synonymous with the merciless endeavor to raise the finest horses and livestock in the world, and ultimately where world-class cowboys are born and made.
Cast
It’s safe to assume that Kevin Costner will not be making a cameo to help this show launch, but that’s just fine.
Thus far, Sheridan’s shows have attracted the likes of not only Ford, Mirren, and Elliott but also Sylvester Stallone (Tulsa King), Zoe Saldaña and Nicole Kidman (Lioness), Jeremy Renner (The Mayor Of Kingstown), and David Oyelowo (Lawmen: Bass Reeves). Matthew McConaughey is assumed to be attached to 2024, but what of 6666?
That’s a solid question, and this show could very well be the exception to the rule in that no A-listers are needed for it to fly. Sheridan, of course, could be intentionally keeping that detail close to his sleeve, but what does seem clear is that an ensemble cast will be required to authentically portray cowboy life, and what will matter most are the experiences. Viewers will likely want to see see a familiar face or two, and surely, Jimmy and Walker (Ryan Bingham) would fit that bill more than other characters that viewers have met already.
Heck and as mentioned already, Jimmy is an obligatory character, so get ready for more Jefferson White.
Release Date
Taylor Sheridan has famously toiled away on scripts by his lonesome, preferring to craft story details and dialogue by himself rather than turn to a room of writers. As a result, it’s likely that even with the writers’ strikes slowing down Hollywood overall, he can (or possibly already has) very quickly hammer out a full 6666 season on his own. Heck, he wrote the Tulsa King pilot in under 24 hours, so when this show’s release date materializes, we can likely expect the details to start flying fast.
Trailer
No actual trailer for 6666 exists yet, but here is that glorious aforementioned clip starring Sheridan as Travis, who is doling out cowboy advice to Jimmy.
Among other things, Travis declares that “$125,000 dollar truck, pulling $1,000,000 worth of horses, in a $150,000 trailer” means that he is driving. Why? Because of a quote from “the best movie ever made. Road House.” Here, we also receive a suggestion that, if Patrick Swayze was alive, he would (along with Sam Elliott) likely be front and center in Sheridan’s mind for a Yellowstone appearance, if only to being “the mullet” back to popularity.
As well, Travis tells Jimmy, “A horse is gonna be your only f*ckin’ friend,” and that will be his life at “the Sixes,” and he’d better get rest on the ride to the ranch because “You are gonna f*ckin’ need it.”
You heard the man. 6666 could be more intense than any other Yellowstone show in existence, so we’ll be watching for more updates coming soon.
