Taylor Sheridan‘s beloved Yellowstone saga has grown from a hit Neo-Western to a sprawling franchise in its own right. It’s already had two prequels, 1883 and 1923, with a whole slew of other franchise extensions in the works, including the next one, The Madison. The pace of these announcements has been so relentless that even the most ardent Yellowstone fan might find themselves growing a little weary.
However, a new casting announcement has injected some excitement into the growing franchise: the legendary Kurt Russell has signed on to join the cast of The Madison in an as-yet-unspecified role. Russell is certainly no stranger to the rough-and-tumble world of Westerns, so his involvement in Sheridan’s growing television universe feels both exciting and completely natural.
What Is ‘The Madison’?
The ‘Yellowstone’ Spinoff Could Be Great
Not much is known about The Madison at this early stage, but it has been announced that the series will follow the McIntosh family, a brood originally from New York City who currently live in the Madison River Valley in central Montana. Deadline describes it as a “heartfelt exploration of grief and the human connection,” which suggests it may have a quieter, gentler focus than the often brutal frontier living depicted in Yellowstone and its prequels.
The series was originally developed under the title 2024, tying it more directly to the annual format of 1883 and 1923; however, this title was changed at some point. This also adds to the sense that The Madison will be something different in the Sheridan-verse, distancing itself somewhat from the previous Yellowstone spinoffs through the title change alone.
Russell joins another exciting member of the cast, Michelle Pfeiffer, who is executive producing the series and starring as Stacy Clyburn. Not much has been shared about who Russell will be playing in the series, but Variety claimed that a source indicated he’d be playing the husband of Pfeiffer’s character. If that turns out to be true, their pairing alone may make the series worth watching.
Kurt Russell’s Western Bonafides
Russell is a very versatile actor who feels right at home in any number of genres, from his early breakout as tough-as-nails action anti-hero Snake Plissken in John Carpenter’s Escape from New York to his role as Peter Quill’s godlike father Ego in Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2. But there’s something about Westerns that seems to fit Russell like a particularly flattering glove. Perhaps it’s his skill at growing impressive facial hair, which he showcased in 1993’s Tombstone, 2015’s The Hateful Eight, and Bone Tomahawk.
Or maybe it’s his general mix of gravitas and warmth that makes him such a strong choice for lawmen. In all three of those films, he played a man of the law, trying to impose order on a lawless frontier, battling outlaws like Tombstone‘s Cowboy gang, or cannibals like Bone Tomahawk’s feral clan. It’s not yet known what kind of Western figure Russell will play in The Madison, which, unlike his other forays in the genre, is set in the present day. Given the series’ scant description so far, labeling it a Western at all might be a bit presumptuous, but the entire Yellowstone saga has situated itself in the genre, so it’s likely not too much of a stretch.
Russell’s always been as much of a character actor as a movie star, working with unique auteurs like Carpenter, Quentin Tarantino, and S. Craig Zahler. His inherent charisma makes even his anti-hero roles likable, and he has shown a willingness to subvert his own persona, as seen in his bumbling wannabe action hero character, Jack Burton, in Big Trouble in Little China, one of his collaborations with Carpenter. He’s an actor who consistently delivers great performances regardless of the size of the role or the genre, and there’s plenty of reason to be excited about the idea of him bringing his undeniable screen presence to Taylor Sheridan’s world.
