Ed Harris is slated to return for the second season of "Dutton Ranch," a Yellowstone spinoff, despite having previously voiced frustrations about the underutilization of his character. Sources confirmed to Deadline that the 75-year-old actor has been picked up for the new season, with filming set to begin on January 15.
Harris's character, Everett McKinney, is expected to play a central role in the upcoming season. The actor had reportedly expressed concerns that his part was not significant enough, leading to a belief that this dissatisfaction played a role in the departure of showrunner Chad Feehan before the season one premiere. Benjamin Cavell, creator of "SEAL Team," has taken over as showrunner, and Harris was reportedly involved in his selection.
Previously, Harris told Variety that he was initially led to believe he was one of the four main characters when he signed on for the series. "Prior to signing on for it, I was talked to quite a bit about what the season was, and what my character was going to do – and that I was one of the main characters. And that wasn’t really the case," Harris stated. He recounted feeling "underused and inconsequential" during season one filming.
Harris also shared an anecdote about filming a scene in a bar that was ultimately cut from the show, which he found particularly frustrating. He recalled a moment where his character was to sing a song, only for the scene to be removed, leading him to consider voiding his contract.
"Dutton Ranch" premiered on Paramount+ on May 15 and centers on Beth Dutton (Kelly Reilly) and Rip Wheeler (Cole Hauser) as they build their own ranch in South Texas. The series also features Annette Bening, Finn Little, Juan Pablo Raba, Jai Courtney, JR Villarreal, Marc Menchaca, and Natalie Alyn Lind.
This situation echoes previous controversies within Taylor Sheridan's "Yellowstone" universe. Lead actor Kevin Costner departed the flagship "Yellowstone" series in 2024 amid reports of disputes over scheduling and creative direction. Costner and Paramount offered differing accounts of the circumstances surrounding his exit and the production of season five.