President Donald Trump fires back at Vladimir Putin following Russia’s aerial attacks on Ukraine, the Treasury Department reveals a new approach to combating drug cartels, and Hollywood enjoys a record-breaking box office over Memorial Day weekend. 
It’s Tuesday, May 27, and this is the news you need to know to start your day.
Morning Wire is available on video! You can watch today’s episode here:
 
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If you’d rather listen to your news, today’s edition of the Morning Wire podcast can be heard below:
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<h2>Russia Strikes Ukraine</h2>
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Topline: President Trump rails against Russian President Vladimir Putin after he launches another aerial attack on Ukraine.
Over the weekend, Russia launched a series of air assaults on Ukrainian cities, deploying hundreds of attack drones and dozens of missiles. Those strikes killed at least 12 people and injured dozens more — many civilians — in what Ukraine <a href="https://www.reuters.com/business/aerospace-defense/russian-drone-fragments-set-kyiv-apartment-building-ablaze-official-says-2025-05-24/">called</a> the most extensive aerial bombardment of the three-year war. 
In recent months, there had been hopes that a peace deal was within reach, but Putin appears to be making clear that he’s pushing ahead, despite increased threats of sanctions from the West. Ukrainian intelligence <a href="https://ca.news.yahoo.com/russias-casualties-war-against-ukraine-095937828.html?guccounter=1&amp;guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS8&amp;guce_referrer_sig=AQAAAM3atsZc41kCSRMKSfurjA_lU-16DhBVMjma8L5udzrwkvFa0KgXegrcgN4PLiL5kMS7G5o-tI97OUCDDVv0q_D28ERp7U8aWOO1ONbadwbiQg0sOb-32woFiDBFhUNANBcGjAoYOUBI1FcOyeD46QfZpkI09tXrEb_Zwy9CY8KJ">reportedly</a> shows that Moscow is gathering forces near the front line in preparation for a summer offensive. 
In response to those attacks, President Trump offered his <a href="https://x.com/yashar/status/1926775198956572815">strongest condemnation</a> of Putin to date. “I don&#8217;t know what the hell happened to Putin. I&#8217;ve known him a long time, always gotten along with him, but he&#8217;s sending rockets into cities and killing people, and I don&#8217;t like it at all. Okay, we&#8217;re in the middle of talking and he&#8217;s shooting rockets into Kiev and other cities.“ Later, on social media, the president appeared to make a veiled threat against Putin, <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/114571369956761390">writing,</a> “I’ve always said that he wants ALL of Ukraine, not just a piece of it, and maybe that’s proving to be right. But if he does, it will lead to the downfall of Russia!” 
However, this new anti-Putin rhetoric hasn’t exactly led to friendlier relations with Ukraine. Trump also said over the weekend that “Zelensky is doing his country no favors by talking the way he does. Everything out of his mouth causes problems.” 
Meanwhile, on Friday, Trump accused the Europeans of being “difficult to deal with” during trade negotiations, saying “discussions are going nowhere.”  The president threatened a 50% tariff that would kick in on June 1. That seemingly got their attention, as European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen called the White House over the weekend to say “Europe is ready to advance talks swiftly and decisively.” As a result of that new willingness to make a deal, Trump agreed to <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-delays-50-tariffs-eu-leader-blinks?author=Daniel+Chaitin&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=8&amp;row=3&amp;rowHeadline=Latest+News&amp;rowType=Vertical+Carousel&amp;title=Trump+Delays+50%25+Tariffs+On+EU+After+Its+Leader+Blinks">pause</a> his tariff hike until July 9 so an agreement could be reached. 
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<h2>Freezing Cartel Funds</h2>
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Topline:  Trump enlists the Treasury Department in his sweeping crackdown on drug cartels.
President Trump promised a “whole of government” approach to combating drug cartels. While the Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and the Border Patrol have obvious roles to play, the Treasury Department is taking steps to crack down on money laundering.
“One of the most important things that the president did upon coming into office was to declare a number of the narco groups terrorist organizations,” Deputy Treasury Secretary Michael Faulkender told The Daily Wire. “[That] unleashes additional authorities at Treasury for us to better target some of the financial activities that these cartels are engaging in. It&#8217;s one thing to have our partners at DHS work on stopping the flow of people and drugs, but we can also use our financial tools to go after the money – because if the money is not flowing back south, then there&#8217;s less of an incentive to bring the drugs and the guns and some of the illicit activity up to the north.”
Among other things, Faulkender explained why Brinks Global was fined $37 million. “There is a statute called the Bank Secrecy Act that requires that if you&#8217;re going to facilitate transfers of monetary sums, that you need to know who the party is that is receiving this money, that is engaging in this transaction. And so what we did is our Financial Crimes Enforcement Network, which is called FinCEN, they launched an investigation into how this money was flowing south of the border – and found that Brinks had facilitated some of these money transfers without knowing who the parties were that were participating in this transaction.”
For the full interview, check out the Morning Wire podcast.
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<h2>Box Office Bonanza</h2>
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Topline: The box office for the holiday weekend blew away expectations. Disney’s live-action &#8220;Lilo &amp; Stitch&#8221; and Paramount’s &#8220;Mission: Impossible 8&#8221; set records to kick off the summer blockbuster season.
&#8220;Lilo &amp; Stitch&#8221; and &#8220;Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning&#8221; provide a much-needed shot in the arm for theaters nationwide. According to studio estimates, &#8220;Lilo &amp; Stitch&#8221; grossed a staggering $183 million domestically. That’s an all-time Disney record for this time frame. Its global haul was $342 million. Meanwhile, &#8220;Mission: Impossible&#8221; brought in a franchise-best $77 million domestically and $190 million worldwide. Taken together, Hollywood hopes this is a game-changer for an industry that’s been fighting to regain that pre-pandemic momentum.
Social media buzz for &#8220;Lilo &amp; Stitch,&#8221; especially from younger women and parents, has been off the charts with an “A” CinemaScore signaling strong word-of-mouth. Posts on X captured the excitement, with fans showing up in Stitch merch and plushies, turning screenings into events. This kind of cultural resonance is exactly what Disney banks on with its IP-driven strategy – sometimes successfully, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/snow-white-bombs-with-one-of-disneys-lowest-opening-weekends-for-a-remake">sometimes not</a>.
While it didn’t reach the heights of &#8220;Lilo &amp; Stitch,&#8221; &#8220;Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning&#8221; is unquestionably a triumph for Tom Cruise. The film’s opening beat the previous franchise record set by &#8220;Mission: Impossible – Fallout&#8221; in 2018 by $14 million, not adjusted for inflation.
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Morning Brief: Trump Blasts Putin, Cartel Crackdowns & Box Office Bonanza

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Spoiler warning: This story contains spoilers for Season 5 Episode 14 of “Yellowstone.”
Fans took to social media to react to finally getting a finale to the popular “<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/he-deserved-better-yellowstone-fans-furious-at-kevin-costners-exit">Yellowstone</a>” series — following Kevin Costner’s exit from the show — and many have made it clear they aren’t happy, saying that the end was rushed and “too predictable.”
On Sunday, the final episode of the second half of Season 5 of the hit Paramount series — titled “Life is a Promise” — aired. Show creator Taylor Sheridan apparently attempted to wrap up all the loose ends of the show, and fans were not terribly impressed with the way that played out onscreen. The Dutton ranch was saved when it was given back to the Native Americans — to keep the land pristine — and the shocking conclusion to the sibling battle that’s been brewing for years bubbled over between Beth Dutton (Kelly Reilly) and Jamie Dutton (Wes Bentley), with Beth dealing the final blow to Jamie.
“Yellowstone finale was a big let down for me,” <a href="https://x.com/sandrajaniga/status/1868498819324981464">one person wrote</a>. “Too predictable and Taylor Sheridan put himself into too many scenes when he was not an integral part of the family. Kevin Costner was Yellowstone and the day he left the show, it died with him. Too bad for a great series.”
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Yellowstone finale was a big let down for me. Too predictable and Taylor Sheridan put himself in to many scenes when he was not an integral part of the family. Kevin Costner was Yellowstone and the day he left the show, it died with him. Too bad for a great series. <a href="https://t.co/Vk7tiF7Nmo">pic.twitter.com/Vk7tiF7Nmo</a>
— SJ🇺🇸Close the Border! Trump 2024! (@sandrajaniga) <a href="https://twitter.com/sandrajaniga/status/1868498819324981464?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 16, 2024</a></blockquote>
<a href="https://x.com/HighyieldHarry/status/1868493079310909888">Another person wrote</a>, “Yellowstone series finale ended. The show fell off so hard it&#8217;s crazy. Same with Ozark. Really gotta give Vince Gilligan, plus the Succession folks, more credit for knowing how to build a great series and landing the endings.”
While a <a href="https://x.com/arcticninjapaul/status/1868529939622048063">third person wrote</a>, “Well, it was a race to the finish for the<a href="https://x.com/hashtag/Yellowstone?src=hashtag_click"> #Yellowstone</a> finale. It will always be bittersweet that Costner wasn’t a part of the last ride, which felt like an expedited conclusion as it is. The finale struggled between some genuine heartfelt moments,  dragged-out scenes (did we need THAT much of the Lainey Wilson performance?), and quickly tied up loose ends (including the fate of Jamie) that could’ve used some more emotional heft had things not been pushed to this point.”
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“While I loved the first four seasons, this final one simply fell apart between the studio, the showrunner, and the lead, making a mess of what could’ve been and soured the legacy to some degree,” the person added. 
It comes following fans&#8217; disappointment with the fate of Costner’s character Gov. John Dutton, saying he deserved so much better after Costner was written off the show in the final season’s premiere episode, as <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/he-deserved-better-yellowstone-fans-furious-at-kevin-costners-exit" target="_blank" rel="noopener">previously reported</a>.
In the first 30 seconds of the hit Paramount series, fans learned that Sheridan apparently didn’t have plans for any kind of heroic ending for its leading man for the second half of Season 5 — two years after the first half of the season debuted, and a year after fans learned that Costner wouldn’t be part of the series any longer. His death was initially portrayed as suicide, but in a short amount of time, it became clear that he was murdered.
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/he-deserved-better-yellowstone-fans-furious-at-kevin-costners-exit" target="_blank" rel="noopener">‘He Deserved Better’: &#8216;Yellowstone’ Fans Furious At Kevin Costner’s Exit</a>

Premiere Party For Paramount Network’s “Yellowstone” Season 2 – Arrivals

Fans React To ‘Yellowstone’ Series Finale

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The “<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/yellowstone" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Yellowstone</a>” universe might not be ending with the highly-anticipated upcoming finale of the series after two major characters have reportedly signed new deals.
Sources with knowledge told <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/DDcUtoKsBH3/?igsh=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ%3D%3D">Deadline</a> that two of the stars of the popular Paramount series about the Dutton family, Cole Hauser and Kelly Reilly, have reportedly closed deals to be part of a spinoff series, reprising their roles of husband and wife Rip Wheeler and Beth Dutton.
The insider said the creator of “Yellowstone,” Taylor Sheridan, is reportedly working on the creative for the show, which could include others from the series that has captured fans since the first season launched, led by Kevin Costner, in 2018.
The spinoff will be the first to follow the current storyline that comes to an end with Season 5’s final episode that will air on Sunday, December 15.
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EXCLUSIVE: The upcoming Season 5 finale of &#8216;Yellowstone&#8217; will not be the end of the Dutton clan’s story. Series standouts Kelly Reilly and Cole Hauser have closed deals to lead a spinoff series, reprising their roles as Beth Dutton and Rip Wheeler, respectively, sources tell… <a href="https://t.co/RMSaY34K70">pic.twitter.com/RMSaY34K70</a>
— Deadline (@DEADLINE) <a href="https://twitter.com/DEADLINE/status/1866865941616705588?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 11, 2024</a></blockquote>
The “Yellowstone” series focuses on the “Dutton family who controls the largest contiguous cattle ranch in the United States. Amid shifting alliances, unsolved murders, open wounds and hard-earned respect — the ranch is in constant conflict with those it borders — an expanding town, an Indian reservation, and America’s first national park,” <a href="https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/yellowstone-trailer-season5b-1235987773/">The Hollywood Reporter</a> noted.
<a href="https://get.dailywire.com/gift-guide/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">CHECK OUT THE DAILY WIRE HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE</a>
The news follows a report earlier this year that at least two spinoffs could be a reality in the future for the series, with the conclusion of the current season centering around <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/he-deserved-better-yellowstone-fans-furious-at-kevin-costners-exit">Costner’s character</a>’s departure from the show, <a href="https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/yellowstone-season-5-final-episodes-production-date-1235651790/">THR</a> noted. The spinoffs will come from the existing producers MTV Entertainment Studios and 101 Studios.
At the time, one of the new shows had a working title of “2024” and reportedly would put the Duttons in the present day. The other is expected to follow in the footsteps of the two earlier “Yellowstone” prequels, “1883” and “1923,” with a current title of “1944.”
Hauser previously appeared to address the rumors he could be part of one of the spinoffs, as previously <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/yellowstone-star-hints-at-spin-off-series-dealing-with-two-popular-characters-romance">reported</a>.
“I know that there’s some stuff on the horizon when it comes to Taylor’s ideas for Kelly Reilly and myself, and some of the other cast,” Hauser said. “I’m excited to see where he goes creatively with that. But right now it’s just: Let’s finish strong; let’s do the best we can.”
<a href="https://collider.com/yellowstone-spinoff-update-kelly-reilly/">Reilly</a> also seemed to hint about her involvement in a spinoff in a recent interview, but made it clear that she didn’t “have an answer right now. But we’ll see.”
Costner previously told <a href="https://www.gq.com/story/kevin-costner-gq-cover-story">GQ</a> that a scheduling conflict had nothing to do with his departure from the series amid reports that blamed him for halting production on the second half of the season due to filming for his western movie “Horizon: An American Saga-Chapter 1,” followed by the writers’ and actors’ strikes, as previously <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/yellowstone-fans-get-major-update-about-series-return">reported</a>.
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/he-deserved-better-yellowstone-fans-furious-at-kevin-costners-exit" target="_blank" rel="noopener">‘He Deserved Better’: Yellowstone’ Fans Furious At Kevin Costner’s Exit</a>

Paramount Network’s “Yellowstone” Season 2 Premiere Party At Lombardi House

‘Yellowstone’ Universe Won’t End With Finale After Two Major Characters Sign New Deal

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TV mastermind Taylor Sheridan isn’t a conservative. He’s suggested as much in various interviews, and there’s little reason to doubt him.
He just knows how conservatives think and refuses to ignore them. And, sometimes, he lets them speak without a filter. If Hollywood wants to thrive in the Trump 2.0 era, it should watch a Sheridan show.
And take some notes.
<div id="attachment_840069" style="width: 891px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-840069" class="size-large wp-image-840069" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/12/Billy-Bobb-II-881x576.jpeg" alt="Billy Bob Thornton in “Landman.” Photo by Emerson Miller/Emerson Miller/Paramount+. Copyright 2024 Viacom International Inc. All Rights Reserved. “Landman” and all related titles, logos and characters are trademarks of Viacom. IMDB." width="881" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/12/Billy-Bobb-II-881x576.jpeg 881w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/12/Billy-Bobb-II-300x196.jpeg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/12/Billy-Bobb-II-768x502.jpeg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/12/Billy-Bobb-II-1536x1004.jpeg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/12/Billy-Bobb-II-2048x1338.jpeg 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 881px) 100vw, 881px" />Billy Bob Thornton in “Landman.” Photo by Emerson Miller/Emerson Miller/Paramount+. Copyright 2024 Viacom International Inc. All Rights Reserved.</div>
Sheridan’s newest series, “Landman,” recently went viral for a character’s screed against the green movement. Billy Bob Thornton plays Tommy Norris, an oil company executive who <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/media/scene-from-billy-bob-thorntons-new-show-landman-slams-clean-energy-goes-viral-x" target="_blank" rel="noopener">puts a green activist in her place.</a>
<blockquote>You have any idea how much diesel will have to burn to mix that much concrete or make that steel and haul this s*** out here and put it together with a 450-foot crane? You want to guess how much oil it takes to lubricate that f***ing thing? Or winterize it? In its 20-year lifespan, it won’t offset the carbon footprint of making it. And don’t get me started on solar panels and the lithium in your Tesla battery.</blockquote>
That’s just part of Tommy’s stemwinder. Is it any wonder social media ate it up? Can you imagine that dialogue coming from a network TV show? What about an HBO original? A Netflix and Chill affair?
Impossible.
Sheridan is willing to share stories and angles others miss. It’s why he conquered the small screen in dramatic fashion.
It’s not surprising that “Landman,” co-starring Jon Hamm, Demi Moore and Ali Larter, is another Sheridan smash.
The Paramount+ original’s debut drew a <a href="https://variety.com/2024/tv/news/landman-ratings-paramount-plus-views-1236234121/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">total of 14.6 million viewers</a> in one week across the streaming network and the Paramount Network. That’s the <a href="https://www.thewrap.com/landman-paramount-plus-ratings/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">biggest debut</a> for a Paramount+ streaming original.
That matters in the highly competitive streaming landscape.
In just six years Sheridan has upended the world of television with his muscular, uncompromised vision. In that span he’s given us “Yellowstone,” “Tulsa King,” “Special Ops: Lioness.” “1883,” “1923,” “Mayor of Kingstown” and now “Landman.”
<div id="attachment_840061" style="width: 872px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-840061" class="wp-image-840061 size-large" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/12/GettyImages-971891732-862x576.jpg" alt="HOLLYWOOD, CA - JUNE 11: Taylor Sheridan, Kelly Reilly and Kevin Costner attend the premiere of Paramount Pictures' &quot;Yellowstone&quot; at Paramount Studios on June 11, 2018 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Presley Ann/Getty Images)" width="862" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/12/GettyImages-971891732-862x576.jpg 862w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/12/GettyImages-971891732-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/12/GettyImages-971891732-768x513.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/12/GettyImages-971891732.jpg 1024w" sizes="(max-width: 862px) 100vw, 862px" />Taylor Sheridan, Kelly Reilly and Kevin Costner attend the premiere of Paramount Pictures&#8217; &#8220;Yellowstone&#8221; at Paramount Studios on June 11, 2018 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Presley Ann/Getty Images)</div>
Not every series is a blockbuster, although “Yellowstone” more than qualifies. The series inspired two prequel shows and more spinoffs may be on the way.
“Tulsa King,” starring Hollywood icon Sylvester Stallone as a mafioso who brings his thuggish acumen to the Midwest, is another hit. Paramount+ is teasing a deal to bring a third and fourth season of the show to viewers.
The first season found Stallone’s Dwight Manfredi railing against some of the <a href="https://grabien.com/story?id=418091">cultural changes</a> that happened while he was in prison.
“And these pronouns. What the f*** is with the pronouns? He, she, him, they, the, boom, bang, ba, fa, foo. You know what my pronoun is? Guess. Time’s up. It. As in, it can’t take this s*** anymore. I’m all for change. I am. I really am. But somebody keeps moving the goalpost.”
<div id="attachment_840085" style="width: 825px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-840085" class="size-large wp-image-840085" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/12/MixCollage-06-Dec-2024-04-06-PM-6607-815x576.jpg" alt="Sylvester Stallone in &quot;Tulsa King&quot; (2022). Paramount+. IMDB." width="815" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/12/MixCollage-06-Dec-2024-04-06-PM-6607-815x576.jpg 815w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/12/MixCollage-06-Dec-2024-04-06-PM-6607-300x212.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/12/MixCollage-06-Dec-2024-04-06-PM-6607-768x543.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/12/MixCollage-06-Dec-2024-04-06-PM-6607-1536x1086.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/12/MixCollage-06-Dec-2024-04-06-PM-6607-2048x1448.jpg 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 815px) 100vw, 815px" />Sylvester Stallone in &#8220;Tulsa King&#8221; (2022). Paramount+. IMDB.</div>
Sheridan isn’t just making up dialogue. He’s listening to both halves of the country. Another sequence found Stallone’s character accusing someone of racially profiling his young black colleague.
It’s precisely how a shrewd operator like Manfredi would shift the balance of power to his advantage. It’s not woke. It’s storytelling.
Keep in mind Manfredi is the story’s anti-hero. Viewers are rooting for him, despite his flaws, much like they rallied behind James Gandolfini’s patriarch in “The Sopranos.”
Conservatives quickly latched onto “Yellowstone” as that rare conservative show early in its run. The saga followed an old-school rancher, memorably played by Kevin Costner, and his complicated brood.
How many shows are set in Montana these days?
<div id="attachment_840111" style="width: 769px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-840111" class="wp-image-840111 size-large" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/12/GettyImages-1446611904-759x576.jpg" alt="LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - DECEMBER 03: (L-R) Helen Mirren, Taylor Sheridan, and Harrison Ford attend Paramount+'s &quot;1923&quot; Las Vegas Premiere at the Encore Theater at Wynn Las Vegas on December 03, 2022 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Mindy Small/Getty Images)" width="759" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/12/GettyImages-1446611904-759x576.jpg 759w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/12/GettyImages-1446611904-300x228.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/12/GettyImages-1446611904-768x583.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/12/GettyImages-1446611904.jpg 1024w" sizes="(max-width: 759px) 100vw, 759px" />(L-R) Helen Mirren, Taylor Sheridan, and Harrison Ford attend Paramount+&#8217;s &#8220;1923&#8221; Las Vegas Premiere at the Encore Theater at Wynn Las Vegas on December 03, 2022. (Photo by Mindy Small/Getty Images)</div>
Yet some conservatives railed against progressive elements in the saga, from vegan protesters to a lesbian romance.
<a href="https://www.foxbusiness.com/entertainment/yellowstone-director-taylor-sheridan-reacts-claims-show-anti-woke-really" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Sheridan politely disagreed</a> with the conservative label some slapped on the drama.
&#8220;And I just sit back laughing. I’m like, ‘Really?’ The show’s talking about the displacement of Native Americans and the way Native American women were treated…about corporate greed…the gentrification of the West, and land-grabbing. That’s a red-state show?&#8221;
He’s right. It’s not a red-meat entrée for a famished heartland. It’s just been so long since conservatives saw themselves on screen they embraced the saga, warts and all.
That’s ultimately Sheridan’s trick. He’s not looking to score cheap partisan points or curry favor with progressives. The story comes first. And he doesn’t seem to care that his apolitical bent may hurt him come awards time.
<div id="attachment_840091" style="width: 745px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-840091" class="wp-image-840091 size-large" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/12/GettyImages-1358551240-735x576.jpg" alt="LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - DECEMBER 11: Sam Elliott (L) and Taylor Sheridan attend the after party for the world premiere of &quot;1883&quot; at SW Steakhouse at Wynn Las Vegas on December 11, 2021 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)" width="735" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/12/GettyImages-1358551240-735x576.jpg 735w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/12/GettyImages-1358551240-300x235.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/12/GettyImages-1358551240-768x602.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/12/GettyImages-1358551240.jpg 1024w" sizes="(max-width: 735px) 100vw, 735px" />Sam Elliott (L) and Taylor Sheridan attend the after party for the world premiere of &#8220;1883&#8221; at SW Steakhouse at Wynn Las Vegas on December 11, 2021. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)</div>
“Yellowstone” earned strong reviews and endless audience praise, but to date, it’s snagged just one Emmy nomination for Outstanding Production Design. It’s a populist hit, and that’s more than enough for Sheridan. After all, network executives care more about ratings than awards.
The actor-turned-showrunner is neither Right nor Left, but he certainly isn’t woke. That became clear during a January chat with Spotify superstar <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fm9N-lyNQms" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Joe Rogan</a>. The two mocked the notion of “toxic masculinity,” with Sheridan revealing the thinking behind his TV empire.
“You need masculinity and femininity,” he explained <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/media/yellowstone-creator-rogan-scoff-modern-liberal-ideology-demonizing-work-ethic-masculinity" target="_blank" rel="noopener">before taking on the Left’s word police movement.</a>
“It&#8217;s fascinating that language is being reinvented before our eyes. There&#8217;s all these new words that are just meant to keep one person from disagreeing with another person&#8217;s position.&#8221;
Woke is the enemy of creative storytelling. Sheridan, no matter his political leanings, instinctively gets that. His growing body of work captures that philosophy. It’s no wonder he conquered TV in the Age of Woke. He had little competition.
* * *
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Christian Toto is an award-winning journalist, movie critic and editor of <a href="https://www.hollywoodintoto.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">HollywoodInToto.com</a>. He previously served as associate editor with Breitbart News’ Big Hollywood. Follow him at <a href="https://www.hollywoodintoto.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">HollywoodInToto.com</a>.
The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

MixCollage-06-Dec-2024-03-41-PM-7843

Running The Show: The Worlds Of Taylor Sheridan

actors

Hollywod

Movies

Television

Woke Culture

The trailer for the final season of “<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/yellowstone">Yellowstone</a>” dropped on Tuesday, making it clear there’s going to be a war with members of the Dutton family in order to keep their legacy and land.
In the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n17AZkUXy58">one-minute plus clip</a> shared by the Paramount Network on YouTube, there are numerous shots of <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/kevin-costner-talks-about-his-latest-film-says-he-makes-movies-for-men">Kevin Costner</a>’s character John Dutton talking about how a “war is just beginning,” despite the fact that we’ve been told Costner wouldn’t be part of the final season following his departure from the show last year.
“Everyone’s forgotten who runs this valley. It’s time to remind them,” a voiceover of Costner can be heard while images of the Dutton family and ranch come across the screen. There’s a series of quick, suspenseful images of the members of the Dutton family, specifically Jaime Dutton’s character (played by Wes Bentley) and rival sister Beth Dutton (played by Kelly Reilly) clearly in a battle over their family legacy and ranch.
“The only thing left to do is kill as much as you can before they kill you,” Reilly says at the end of the clip.
<iframe loading="lazy" title="Yellowstone Official Trailer | Paramount Network" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/n17AZkUXy58?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
It’s giving audiences an idea what to expect when the second half of Season 5 comes out November 10 &#8212; two years after the first half of Season 5 debuted.
The “Waterworld” star previously told <a href="https://www.gq.com/story/kevin-costner-gq-cover-story">GQ</a> that a scheduling conflict had nothing to do with his departure from the series amid reports that blamed him for halting production on the second half of the season due to filming for his western movie “Horizon: An American Saga-Chapter 1,” followed by the writers’ and actors’ strikes, as previously <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/yellowstone-fans-get-major-update-about-series-return">reported</a>.
Costner said he offered options for killing off his character so he could make both work, saying, “‘Well, if you want to kill me, if you want to do something like that,’ I said, ‘I have a week before I start. I’ll do what you want to do.’”
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The “Dances with Wolves” star said despite everything that has happened, he would be open to returning to the series, <a href="https://deadline.com/2024/05/yellowstone-season-5-part-2-release-date-cast-1235924863/?taid=664c12b263b61f0001608d43">Deadline</a> noted.
Paramount later released a statement to <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/yellowstone-star-kevin-costner-offered-to-be-killed-off-hit-show-ill-do-what-you-want-to-do">Fox News</a> about Costner’s GQ comments and said, “Kevin has been a big part of ‘Yellowstone’s’ success.”
“While we had hoped that we would continue working with him, unfortunately, we could not find a window that worked for him, all the other talent, and our production needs in order to move forward together,” the statement read. “We respect that Kevin has prioritized his new film series and we wish him the best.”
The “Yellowstone” series focuses on the “Dutton family who controls the largest contiguous cattle ranch in the United States. Amid shifting alliances, unsolved murders, open wounds and hard-earned respect — the ranch is in constant conflict with those it borders — an expanding town, an Indian reservation, and America’s first national park,” <a href="https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/yellowstone-trailer-season5b-1235987773/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Hollywood Reporter</a> noted.
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/yellowstone-fans-get-their-first-peek-at-final-season" target="_blank" rel="noopener">‘Yellowstone’ Fans Get Their First Peek At Final Season</a>

‘This Is The Hill We Die On’: ‘Yellowstone’ Final Season Trailer Drops

'This Is The Hill We Die On': ‘Yellowstone’ Final Season Trailer Drops

The media mogul who chairs Paramount Global, owner of CBS News, is standing by a “CBS Mornings” anchor who questioned woke activist Ta-Nehisi Coates about his new book on the Israel-Gaza conflict.
Shari Redstone, who brokered a deal earlier this year to sell Paramount along with CBS to Skydance, called the decision to reprimand anchor Tony Dokoupil “a mistake,” The Hollywood Reporter <a href="https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/business-news/cbs-mornings-shari-redstone-tony-dokoupil-tanehisi-coates-interview-1236026823/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>.
Redstone, speaking at a panel during Advertising Week, said she believed Dokoupil “did a great job with that interview.”
“I was very proud of the work that he did,” she added. “Yes, as hard as it was for me to go against this company, I think they made a mistake here.”
“I just want to be clear that I’ve been working with the CEOs,” she continued, according to THR. “I’ve been working with the woman who does a lot of our diversity training, and I think we all agree that this was not handled correctly, and we all agree that something needs to be done. I don’t have, you know, editorial control. I am not an executive, but I have a voice in our platform, like all of us.”
Redstone also said during the panel: “I think the most important thing that can come out of this is that we all recognize that we need to provide a platform where people can have a voice, where they can have civil discourse, where they can challenge each other, and we need to make sure that we give equal opportunity for this regardless of what side of the issue you’re on.”
“I’m very glad that we had this person on our show,” she added, referring to Coates. “I’m very glad that we gave him an opportunity to speak, but we have to also provide the opportunity to challenge him on what he says, just like we challenge everybody else.”
Redstone made the comments during a conversation with Matthew Segal, Co-Founder and Co-CEO of ATTN, a social storytelling media company and content studio.
Dokoupil came under fire at the network after he pressed Coates on his new book, “The Message,” which portrays Palestinians as perpetual victims.
“For as sure as my ancestors were born into a country where none of them was the equal of any white man, Israel was revealing itself to be a country where no Palestinian is ever the equal of any Jewish person anywhere,” Coates wrote in his book, <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2024/10/07/media/cbs-ta-nehisi-coates-tony-dokoupil-interview/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according to CNN</a>.
Dokoupil, who is Jewish, pressed Coates on this particular framing.
“I have to say, when I read the book, I imagine if I took your name out of it, took away the awards, the acclaim, took the cover off the book, publishing house goes away, the content of that section would not be out of place in the backpack of an extremist,” Dokoupil said in the interview, according to CNN.
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Dokoupil also pushed Coates to answer why he left out so many facts in the book that are beneficial to Israel.
“Why leave out that Israel is surrounded by countries that want to eliminate it? Why leave out that Israel deals with terror groups that want to eliminate it?” Dokoupil asked.
After the interview, CBS employees complained that Dokoupil was too mean to Coates, and the anchor was forced to meet with the network’s “Race and Culture Unit,” The Daily Wire <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/cbs-anchor-met-with-race-and-culture-unit-following-questioning-of-ta-nehisi-coates" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>.
Following this meeting, Dokoupil met with staffers and told them he “regretted putting his colleagues in that position especially the ones overseas and in danger,” an insider at the network <a href="https://nypost.com/2024/10/08/media/cbs-tony-dokoupil-offers-regrets-at-teary-staff-meeting-after-grilling-anti-israel-author/?utm_campaign=nypost&amp;utm_source=twitter&amp;utm_medium=social" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told</a> the New York Post.
“There were tears. [People were] very upset,” the source told the Post, saying that staffers were “divided” on the situation in Israel and “troubled” by Dokoupil’s questioning of Coates.
Sources told the Post that Dokoupil didn’t apologize for his questioning.
RELATED: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/cbs-hires-dei-strategist-to-counsel-journalists-upset-by-questioning-of-ta-nehisi-coates">CBS Hires, Cancels &#8216;DEI Strategist&#8217; To Counsel Journalists Upset By Questioning Of Ta-Nehisi Coates</a>
This article has been updated with more information about the Advertising Week panel.

Shari Redstone

Head Of Paramount, CBS Owner, Backs Anchor Reprimanded For Questioning Ta-Nehisi Coates

CBS News

Israel

Media Bias

Ta-Nehisi Coates

<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/paramount">Paramount Global</a> initiated a second round of planned <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/business">layoffs</a> on Tuesday in an effort to reduce overall company costs by $500 million.
The layoffs will be 90% complete following Tuesday&#8217;s cuts, a <a href="https://deadline.com/2024/09/paramount-global-layoffs-2-1236097329/">report</a> from Deadline stated. An insider told the outlet that most of the layoffs would be in the streaming division, while previous cuts were made in the advertising section of Paramount. 
The entertainment giant had 21,900 full- and part-time employees in 33 countries at the end of 2023, along with 4,500 project-based employees. Three percent of those employees were laid off last year.
Paramount execs announced in August that the entertainment conglomerate would cut 15% of its U.S. workforce, about 2,000 employees, ahead of a planned merger with Skydance Media.
Deadline also published a copy of the internal memo from company co-CEOs George Cheeks, Chris McCarthy, and Brian Robbins that was sent on Tuesday.
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“Like the entire Media industry, we are working to accelerate streaming profitability while at the same time adjusting to the evolving landscape in our traditional businesses. In order to set Paramount up for continued success, we are taking these actions,” it said. “Days like today are never easy. It is difficult to say goodbye to valued colleagues, and to those departing, we are incredibly grateful for your countless contributions.”
“We appreciate everyone’s resilience and commitment to delivering some of the biggest hits across TV and Film, and for continuing the hard but necessary work to best position the company for the future,” the memo concluded.
One of Paramount&#8217;s main properties is the CBS Entertainment group. A union rep for IBEW, which represents CBS employees, said in a statement Monday that employees who were let go included “editors, in media ingest and distribution and show production.”
“We’re disappointed that CBS was unable to find a way to retain these highly skilled professionals in their operation,” IBEW Director of Broadcasting and Telecommunications Robert Prunn said in a statement. “IBEW members have been producing CBS broadcasts since before the invention of television, and these layoffs are a hard pill to swallow.”

Paramount Global Starts Round 2 Of Layoffs, Aiming To Cut $500M

Paramount Global Starts Round 2 Of Layoffs, Aiming To Cut $500M In Costs

Business

Economy

<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/television">Paramount Television Studios</a> announced Tuesday that they would be laying off 15% of their United States-based workforce over the coming months and shutting down one of its television studios.
“A short time ago, we informed the team at Paramount Television Studios (PTVS) that the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/entertainment">studio</a> will cease operations at the end of the week,” Paramount co-CEOs George Cheeks, Brian Robbins, and Chris McCarthy wrote in a memo to the staff, per <a href="https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/business/story/2024-08-13/paramounts-huge-layoffs-begin-nearly-2-000-employees-targeted-in-cuts">The Los Angeles Times</a>.
“This is not a decision based on how PTVS performed,” the executive team explained in the note. “This move is the result of significant changes in the TV and streaming marketplace and the need to streamline our company.”
The outlet noted that the studio shutting down is the one responsible for making television shows including “Reacher” for Amazon Prime Video, “The Spiderwick Chronicles” for the Roku Channel, “13 Reasons Why” for Netflix, and “Station Eleven” for Warner Bros. Discovery.
Paramount reported having 21,900 full- and part-time employees and 4,500 project-based staff members in 33 countries at the end of 2023, according to <a href="https://deadline.com/2024/08/paramount-global-layoffs-begin-skydance-inflection-point-industry-1236038740/">Deadline</a>. The company cut 3% of its staff last February.
These mass layoffs will help save the company $500 million by reducing the headcount by about 3,000 employees, the outlet noted. The memo further stated that Paramount will let go of certain staff members “starting today and continuing through the end of the year.&#8221;
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“We expect 90% of these actions to be complete by the end of September,” the memo said.
“The industry continues to evolve, and Paramount is at an inflection point where changes must be made to strengthen our business. And while these actions are often difficult, we are confident in our direction forward,” the entertainment execs wrote.
The news comes as Paramount continues to lose money, resulting in controlling shareholder Shari Redstone deciding to offload the company her family has been in charge of for more than 35 years.
A planned two-step merger is being led by Skydance Media. David Ellison’s company has plans to invest $8 billion in the takeover, which starts with an acquisition from shareholder National Amusements Inc. before a merger with RedBird Capital and billionaire Oracle co-founder Larry Ellison, among others.
The merger has yet to be approved by regulators, which is slated to happen later this month if no other potential buyers come forward.

Paramount Will Lay Off 15% Of U.S. Staff, Per New Companywide Memo

Paramount+ has acquired a documentary focused on the brutal <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/october-7" target="_blank" rel="noopener">October 7th</a> Hamas terrorist attacks on Israel, featuring interviews with survivors who were present at the Nova Music Festival when the attacks began.
According to an <a href="https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/paramount-documentary-hamas-terrorist-attack-1235901192/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">article</a> published Thursday by The Hollywood Reporter, the project — undertaken by See It Now Studios — features exclusive footage and eyewitness accounts of the Hamas attacks, including footage taken by witnesses and terrorists as the events of that day unfolded.
Susan Zirinsky, president of See It Now Studios, released an official statement regarding the documentary: &#8220;The human cost of what happened on October 7th in Israel, and the war in Gaza, has been catastrophic. We can’t tell everyone’s story. This film is about innocent young people, forced to fight for their survival. It is a painful story of unfathomable tragedy, and also of bravery, sacrifice and heroism.&#8221;
Deadline <a href="https://deadline.com/2024/05/we-will-dance-again-doc-october-7-terror-attack-bound-for-paramount-1235918352/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a> that the documentary follows the eyewitness accounts of &#8220;more than a dozen survivors, many of whom videotaped their experiences as the massacre unfolded.&#8221; Their stories, along with footage obtained both from the survivors and from Hamas terrorists, aim to show the world what happened on that horrific day.
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The project, which was first announced just weeks after October 7th, was directed by Yariv Mozer.
&#8220;I have seen things in my life. I have lived through wars. I have fought in wars, and I have even filmed during a war. But nothing prepared me for the harsh images I have seen in the remains of the massacre that took place at the Nova Music Festival,&#8221; Mozer said of the project. &#8220;I see it as my duty as a documentary filmmaker to bring to the world the testimonies and horrific stories from the survivors of this slaughter. Young women and men whose only sin was their desire for music, and the passion to celebrate free love, spirit and freedom.&#8221;

Israel-Hamas Conflict Reaches Six-Month Mark

Paramount+ Acquires Documentary On October 7: ‘We Will Dance Again’

Paramount+ Acquires Documentary On October 7: 'We Will Dance Again'

Documentaries

Hamas

October 7

World

<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/kevin-costner">Kevin Costner</a> now said that a scheduling conflict had nothing to do with his departure from the hit Paramount+ series “Yellowstone.”
Speaking to <a href="https://deadline.com/2024/05/kevin-costner-horizon-an-american-saga-yellowstone-controversy-1235907679/">Deadline</a>, the 69-year-old actor disputed earlier reports that blamed Costner for the end of the series, claiming it was filming for his western movie “Horizon: An American Saga” that screwed up his character John Dutton’s story, resulting in the end of “Yellowstone.”
“Well, I haven’t felt good about it the last year, what with the way they’ve talked about it,” Costner said. “It wasn’t truthful.”
“So now I’m talking about a little bit about what the real truth of it was,” he added. “I made a contract for seasons five, six and seven [of Yellowstone]. In February, after a two- or three-month negotiation, they made another contract.”
“They wanted to redo that one, and instead of seasons six and seven, it was 5A and 5B, and maybe we’ll do six,” Costner continued. “They weren’t able to make those. ‘Horizon’ was set in the middle, but ‘Yellowstone’ was first position. I fit [‘Horizon’] into the gaps. They just kept moving their gaps.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Kevin Costner claims &#8216;Yellowstone&#8217; scheduling&#8217;s issues had nothing to do with his new film and everything to do with a lack of scripts. <a href="https://t.co/niCp5T8EU4">https://t.co/niCp5T8EU4</a>
— Entertainment Weekly (@EW) <a href="https://twitter.com/EW/status/1790096939150630970?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 13, 2024</a></blockquote>
Last year, rumors surfaced that <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/reese-witherspoon-has-something-to-say-about-those-kevin-costner-dating-rumors">Costner</a> was leaving the show at the height of its popularity. He recently <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/kevin-costner-talks-leaving-yellowstone-hints-at-possible-court-battle">opened</a> up about what caused his departure from the popular series.
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“Somewhere along the line they wanted to change things,” the “Field of Dreams” star said. “They wanted to do 5A and 5B … affected ‘Horizon.’ I was going to do my movie ‘Horizon’ and leave that show, do my movie, then do B.”
“A show I was only doing once a year I was now doing twice,” he added, noting that Paramount “walked away” from negotiations. “We did negotiate. There were issues about creative. I tried to break the log jam. They walked away.”
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/kevin-costner">Costner</a> previously talked about the final episodes of the series and made it clear that he still hopes he and Paramount can work it out so he can appear in them.
Speaking to <a href="https://www.etonline.com/kevin-costner-discusses-son-hayes-acting-debut-in-horizon-and-final-season-of-yellowstone-exclusive">Entertainment Tonight</a> about his upcoming movie, the subject of the Taylor Sheridan series came up and the fate of his Dutton character.
“I’d like to be able to do it [Yellowstone] but we haven’t been able to,” Costner said of returning to the series. “…I thought I was going to make seven [seasons] but right now we’re at five.”
“So how it works out — I hope it does — but they’ve got a lot of different shows going on,” he added. “Maybe it will. Maybe this will circle back to me. If it does and I feel really comfortable with [it], I’d love to do it.”
Last year, production was halted in the second half of the season due to what was reported at the time as Costner’s scheduling conflicts — followed by the writers’ and actors’ strikes, as previously <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/yellowstone-fans-get-major-update-about-series-return">reported</a>.

Kevin Costner-2

Kevin Costner Now Says Schedule Had Nothing To Do With His Departure From ‘Yellowstone’

Kevin Costner Now Says Schedule Had Nothing To Do With His Departure From 'Yellowstone'

“<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/yellowstone">Yellowstone</a>” star Cole Hauser appeared to hint that a spin-off series was being talked about – one that could involve the romance of two popular characters, Hauser&#8217;s Rip Wheeler and Kelly Reilly’s Beth Dutton.
Speaking to <a href="https://www.countryliving.com/life/entertainment/a60574841/cole-hauser-free-rein-interview/">Country Living</a>, the 49-year-old actor talked about the end of the current Paramount Network’s hit storyline — lead by actor Kevin Costner — and what could be next for his story. The Taylor Sheridan series will end at the conclusion of the second half of Season 5, which has been reported as happening later this year.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
The romance of fan favorites Beth and Rip could continue beyond Yellowstone, actor Cole Hauser hints. <a href="https://t.co/3SUvUBkge7">https://t.co/3SUvUBkge7</a>
— The Hollywood Reporter (@THR) <a href="https://twitter.com/THR/status/1787769388759654675?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 7, 2024</a></blockquote>
“I’m so focused on finishing ‘Yellowstone’ the way it needs to be finished right now — well, just the show itself,” Hauser said. “We’ll see where that leads.”
“But I know that there’s some stuff on the horizon when it comes to Taylor’s ideas for Kelly Reilly and myself, and some of the other cast,” he added. “I’m excited to see where he goes creatively with that.”
“But right now it’s just: Let’s finish strong; let’s do the best we can,” Hauser continued.
However, <a href="https://collider.com/yellowstone-spinoff-update-kelly-reilly/">Reilly</a> also seemed to hint otherwise about spinoffs in a recent interview.
“I just care about finishing [the main show] with as much care and as much passion and as much love as I can muster to put into it,” Reilly said..
“That’s what I care about,” she added. “I’m sort of prepping for that now [and] that’s my tunnel vision thing that I care about most. And what goes on beyond that?”
“There are discussions, you know,” Reilly continued. “Don’t believe everything you read. It’s just nonsense. But we’re gonna, you know, let’s wait and see. I don’t have an answer right now. But we’ll see.”
And as far as whether or not fans will actually get to see “Yellowstone” this year, Hauser told Country living, “God-willing — your lips to God&#8217;s ears.”
Part two of the fifth and final season of the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/yellowstone-fans-get-major-update-about-series-return">Paramount+ series</a> is expected to finally come out in November, after the fifth season was originally supposed to return in 2023.
Last year, production was halted in the second half of the season due to Costner’s scheduling conflicts — followed by the writers’ and actors’ strikes, as previously <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/yellowstone-fans-get-major-update-about-series-return">reported</a>.
Despite the end of the show, the “Yellowstone” universe is reportedly going to continue to grow with two more spinoffs planned in the future from the existing producers MTV Entertainment Studios and 101 Studios, <a href="https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/yellowstone-season-5-final-episodes-production-date-1235651790/">THR</a> reported.
One of the new shows has a working title of “2024,” which will reportedly put the Duttons in the present day. The other is expected to follow in the footsteps of the two earlier “Yellowstone” prequels, “1883” and “1923,” with a current title of “1944.” However, no information about what either series will contain has yet to be released.
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/kevin-costner-talks-yellowstone-final-episodes-and-whether-fans-will-see-him" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Kevin Costner Talks ‘Yellowstone’ Final Episodes And Whether Fans Will See Him</a>

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‘Yellowstone’ Star Hints At Spin-Off Series Dealing With Two Popular Characters’ Romance

‘Yellowstone’ Star Hints At Spin-Off Series Dealing With Two Popular Characters' Romance

<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/television">CBS Studios</a> and its parent company, Paramount, are being sued by an employee who claims he was <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/discrimination">discriminated</a> against for being a heterosexual white male. 
Brian Beneker, a script coordinator for the drama series “SEAL Team,” filed a lawsuit in California federal court Wednesday, per <a href="https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/business-news/cbs-studios-paramount-reverse-discrimination-lawsuit-racial-quotas-1235842493/">The Hollywood Reporter</a>. 
The studio employee alleged that he was repeatedly denied a staff writer job due to the company’s “illegal policy of race and sex balancing,” which promoted hiring “less qualified applicants who were members of more <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/diversity-equity-and-inclusion-dei">preferred groups</a>.” Beneker specifically stated in the document that women, minorities, and LGTBQ individuals were given preferential consideration for open positions.
The CBS employee is seeking $500,000 in damages and is requesting a court order to become a full-time producer on the series to help combat future discriminatory practices, the THR report noted.
Beneker is represented by the America First Legal Foundation. The conservative legal group was founded by Stephen Miller, a White House policy adviser under the Trump administration. This is the first major lawsuit that America First is representing against an entertainment industry company.
The lawsuit states that Beneker worked as a script coordinator for “SEAL Team” since 2017 and has written several episodes. He alleges that he was passed over for staff writer positions on multiple occasions while members of minority groups were chosen despite not being as qualified for the roles, in his estimation.
Beneker claims he asked a showrunner in 2019 why one person was chosen instead of him for an open position. He claims that person said it was because he “did not check any diversity boxes.” Despite being told he’d be the next pick, Beneker said CBS hired six more women as writers. 
Beneker said this happened on more than one occasion.
“During Season 6, (in approximately May of 2022), two female writer’s assistants, without any writing credits, were hired as staff writers,” the lawsuit says. “The first of these two hires was black. The second identified as lesbian.”
Beneker said these initiatives have “created a situation where heterosexual, white men need ‘extra’ qualifications (including military experience or previous writing credits) to be hired as staff writers when compared to their nonwhite, LGBTQ, or female peers.”
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The employee blamed the hiring practice on publicly stated diversity quotas which CBS sought to meet. CEO of CBS Entertainment Group George Cheeks reportedly said in 2022 that he set a goal of all writers&#8217; rooms being staffed by at least 40% minority group members. He further stated that 17 out of 21 shows met those goals for the 2021-2022 season.
The lawsuit comes on the heels of the Supreme Court decision last June, which found that Harvard University and the University of North Carolina could not use <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/advocates-hail-scotus-decision-scrapping-affirmative-action-in-college-admissions">race-based criteria</a> for admissions.

CBS Sued By ‘SEAL Team’ Writer Who Claims ‘Heterosexual, White Men Need Extra Qualifications’

CBS Sued By 'SEAL Team' Writer Who Claims 'Heterosexual, White Men Need Extra Qualifications'

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