Dutton Ranch burst out of the gate with a blockbuster debut, and Paramount is banking on its winning streak continuing.The Yellowstone spin-off, starring flagship favorites Kelly Reilly and Cole Hauser, has officially been renewed for a second season on Paramount+.The news lands as the series heads into its final two episodes of season one, with the finale set to air on July 3. The decision will hardly shock fans, with Reilly and Hauser’s return as Beth Dutton and Rip Wheeler from the Kevin Costner-led original seen as a guaranteed ratings draw.The show wasted no time proving its pull, becoming the biggest original series debut in Paramount+ history with 12.9 million viewers worldwide in its first week.’Beth and Rip are among the most iconic duos in television history and we are thrilled to bring a whole new world to life with Dutton Ranch for our subscribers around the world,’ Jane Wiseman, head of originals for Paramount+, said in a statement. Dutton Ranch burst out of the gate with a blockbuster debut, and Paramount is banking on its winning streak continuing, with the Yellowstone spin-off starring Kelly Reilly and Cole Hauser officially renewed for a second season on Paramount+ The news lands as the series heads into its final two episodes of season one, with the finale set to air on July 3’We’re also incredibly grateful to our partners, including the teams at Paramount Television Studios and 101 Studios, for bringing this new series to life with such grit, heart and authenticity.’Matt Thunell, president of Paramount Television Studios added, ‘Dutton Ranch has resonated with audiences in a powerful way, building on the legacy of beloved characters, while establishing its own identity.’Thank you to our partners at Paramount+ and 101 Studios for a phenomenal first season. We look forward to bringing fans more stories from these unforgettable characters in season two.’ The show also secured the biggest series premiere on cable since 2023, with its two-episode launch airing on Paramount Network on May 15. The first season runs for nine episodes, with the logline teasing high-stakes drama: ‘As Beth and Rip fight to build a future together – far from the ghosts of Montana – they collide with brutal new realities and a ruthless rival ranch that will stop at nothing to protect its empire. In South Texas, blood runs deeper, forgiveness is fleeting, and the cost of survival might just be your soul.Reilly, 48, and Hauser, 51, first stepped into the roles of Beth and Rip in Yellowstone back in 2018.Over time, Beth – the sharp-tongued daughter of the late John Dutton (Costner) – and Rip, the ranch’s fiercely loyal enforcer and fixer, have cemented themselves as one of TV’s most volatile, and enduring, couples. Meanwhile, Annette Bening – who plays Beulah Jackson, a rival ranch owner to Beth (Reilly) and Rip (Hauser) – has revealed she hasn’t spoken to former co-star Kevin Costner about her new role in Yellowstone spin-off Dutton Ranch, despite him fronting the original series. Matt Thunell, president of Paramount Television Studios added, ‘Dutton Ranch has resonated with audiences in a powerful way, building on the legacy of beloved characters, while establishing its own identityThe 67-year-old Oscar nominee previously shared the screen with Costner in the 2003 Western Open Range.Bening revealed she has yet to tell the Field of Dreams star about her new Sheridan-produced part.’I haven’t let him know,’ Bening admitted to People. ‘But we have stayed in touch over the years, and our paths have crossed many times.’She added, ‘We made a Western in Southern Alberta in 2003. I’m very proud of that movie.’ Bening then reflected on how much Open Range meant to her late father.’My father just died a few years ago. Some of my movies, my father would not watch, but that one, he watched it over and over.”I love that film. I’m very proud of it,’ she said. ‘And I got to work with Kevin and Robert DuVall, and it was a joy. My kids were with me. They were little. It was all amazing.’Bening admits part of the reason she signed on to Dutton Ranch was her admiration for Reilly’s work on Yellowstone.She teased the tangled relationship her character Beulah shares with Beth – a woman she describes as ‘incredibly gutsy and intriguing.”There’s a kind of mutual attraction and a mutual intrigue, let’s say, between these two women,’ Bening explained. ‘But that’s the fun of it. It’s just really a joy to have that dynamic going on.’Bening also praised her star-studded cast, including Ed Harris, for bringing the spinoff to life. Yellowstone wrapped in 2025 after Costner’s character John Dutton was killed off, following the 71-year-old star’s exit amid a rift with showrunner Taylor Sheridan and other whispered controversies The 67-year-old Oscar nominee, who previously worked with Costner on the 2003 Western Open Range, has landed a plum role in the show, which premiered Thursday, playing Beulah Jackson – a rival ranch owner to Beth (Kelly Reilly) and Rip (Cole Hauser)’You’re really only as good as who you’re acting with,’ she said, adding that working with such talent is all about ‘listening… picking up on their energy’ and the thrill of seeing what might happen in each scene.’That’s the fun of it – the exchange, the uncertainty, the surprises,’ she added.But while Bening is settling into her new role, Costner’s departure from Yellowstone continues to make headlines. Reports suggest his exit was far messier than fans ever knew, with one explosive on-set clash reportedly halting production temporarily.According to The Hollywood Reporter, multiple insiders claimed tensions reached a breaking point when Costner allegedly ‘lunged’ at Wes Bentley during a heated dispute. The father-of-seven is said to have lost his temper after Bentley refused to ‘ditch Taylor Sheridan’s script’ and do the scene ‘his way.’One insider claimed Bentley ‘told Costner that he had signed up for a Taylor Sheridan show, not a Kevin Costner production.’’Kevin didn’t like that, and he lunged at him,’ a source present said. ‘No fists were thrown, but they were in each other’s faces, pushing and shoving and just getting hot until they had to be separated.’ ‘I haven’t let him know,’ Bening said of Costner to People on Friday, adding,’But we have stayed in touch over the years, and our paths have crossed many times;’ Above, Costner in 2016The clash reportedly left Reilly in tears and forced production to briefly halt. Sources described the incident as ‘a tipping point on a set already cracking from creative power struggles and bruised egos.’Insiders alleged the dispute was just another example of Costner being ‘impossible.’ ‘There’s a long list of people in Hollywood who swear they’ll never work with Costner again,’ the outlet claimed.In December 2024, Luke Grimes admitted to Esquire that Costner’s absence from the second half of Season 5 actually made filming easier. ‘To be really honest, there was a part of Kevin being gone that meant some of the conflict was gone,’ Grimes explained. ‘Not pointing any fingers, but it was actually the easiest season we’ve filmed.’Other complaints over the years included Costner’s alleged habit of rewriting scripts without warning, clashing with co-stars, and difficulty following directions. However, his former agent Rick Nicita, who represented him from 2002 to 2008, pushed back. ‘The word difficult gets used a lot,’ Nicita said. ‘It can mean someone who won’t come out of their trailer, or someone who doesn’t know their lines, or is rude. That’s not Kevin.’Rumors of Costner leaving Yellowstone first surfaced in 2023, but his attorney Marty Singer denied claims he refused to film more than one week of Season 5 Part 2. Sheridan9pictured) told The Hollywood Reporter he was ‘disappointed’ by Costner’s departure, saying it affected the show creatively.’The idea that Kevin was only willing to work one week on the second half of Season 5 of Yellowstone is an absolute lie,’ Singer said. ‘It’s ridiculous – and anyone suggesting it shouldn’t be believed for one second.’Filming conflicted with Costner’s plans to direct Horizon, the first in a planned four-part Western movie series. In June 2024, Costner confirmed via Instagram that he would not appear at all in Season 5 Part 2.Sheridan told The Hollywood Reporter he was ‘disappointed’ by Costner’s departure, saying it affected the show creatively. ‘It truncates the closure of his character,’ he said. ‘It doesn’t alter it, but it truncates it.’Sheridan insisted his opinion of Costner as an actor remains unchanged, calling his portrayal of John Dutton ‘symbolic and powerful.’ On the alleged tension, he added: ‘I’ve never had an issue with Kevin that he and I couldn’t work out on the phone. But once lawyers get involved, then people don’t get to talk to each other and start saying things that aren’t true and attempt to shift blame based on how the press or public seem to be reacting.’He concluded: ‘He took a lot of this on the chin in terms of the saga playing out publicly, I don’t know that anyone deserves it.’