Actor Ed Harris will return for the second season of the "Yellowstone" spinoff "Dutton Ranch," despite earlier requests to leave the show and public criticism of its executive producer, Taylor Sheridan. Sources confirmed that Harris has been selected for the upcoming season, with production set to begin in January.
Harris, 75, had voiced dissatisfaction with the portrayal of his character, Everett McKinney, in the first season, stating he was misled about the significance of the role. He told Variety that he was initially led to believe he was a main character, one of four, but found his part to be underutilized. "I said, 'I'm feeling underused and inconsequential,' and they kind of went, 'Oh,'" Harris recalled.
This frustration extended to a scene involving a musical performance that was ultimately cut from the final episode. Harris described the incident as a reason he felt "voiding my contract" was justified. He also indicated that writers are keeping him informed about the script development for the new season and that his character is expected to be central to the plot.
Sources suggest that the showrunner for the first season, Chad Feehan, was dismissed in part due to the underutilization of Harris's character. Benjamin Cavell, creator of "SEAL Team," has taken over as showrunner, and Harris reportedly had input in his selection.
"Dutton Ranch," which premiered on Paramount+ on May 15, follows Beth Dutton (Kelly Reilly) and Rip Wheeler (Cole Hauser) as they establish a ranch in South Texas. The series also features Annette Bening, Finn Little, and Juan Pablo Raba, among others.
The production has faced controversy before. Kevin Costner, the lead in the original "Yellowstone" series, departed in 2024 amidst reports of a dispute with Sheridan over scheduling and script development. Costner's character, John Dutton, was killed off early in the second half of "Yellowstone's" fifth season. Costner denied claims that he was unwilling to film more episodes, stating that the network sought contract renegotiations that led to his exit.