Will The Actors Strike Affect Release Of New “Yellowstone” Episodes?

Yellowstone / YouTube

Yellowstone & Its Prequel Series 1923 Face Delays Due To Strikes In Hollywood

Yellowstone fans have waited a long time for the show to return. It went on its midseason finale in January, cutting season five in half.

Shortly after that, rumors started swirling about drama behind the scenes. The fate of the series seemed to be up in the air until Paramount made an official announcement in May.

Paramount estimated that Yellowstone will return in November to finish Season 5. The network also revealed that Season 5 will be the series’ last.

However, a new sequel series is in the work, so fans won’t be done with the Duttons forever.

RELATED: “YELLOWSTONE” IS OVER AFTER SEASON 5, BUT A NEW SEQUEL IS COMING

Kevin Costner in Yellowstone
Peacock / YouTube

Despite this announcement, little to no progress has been made on new episodes. It seems production has been delayed for the foreseeable future, though no official announcements have been made.

It WAS announced that production on the Yellowstone prequel 1923 has been delayed indefinitely. This delay is due to the ongoing Writers Guild of America strike.

Now, another strike could affect the release of new episodes of Yellowstone and 1923.

The Current SAG-AFTRA Strike – What Is It All About?

The Hollywood Actors’ union, SAG-AFTRA, started striking on Friday (July 14). This is the first time actors have started a labor dispute since 1980, and the first time writers and actors have been on strike at the same time since 1960.

Over 160,000 actors, performers, and other people in the entertainment industry are members of SAG-AFTRA.

According to Variety, the members of SAG-AFTRA “must cease all work covered by their union contract” during the strike. The publication further detailed what members can’t do during the strike:

Film and television productions will shut down…According to the guidelines, SAG-AFTRA members will not be able to attend premieres, do interviews for completed work, go to awards shows, attend film festivals or even promote projects on social media while the strike is in effect. They are also not allowed to attend conventions such as Comic-Con or 90s Con to promote any past or present work made under a SAG-AFTRA contract.

What Does The Actors Strike Mean For The Future Of Yellowstone?

That means anyone in the Yellowstone cast who’s a member of SAG-AFTRA can’t work right now. Several members of the main cast are SAG-AFTRA members, including:

  • Kevin Costner (James Dutton)
  • Cole Hauser (Rip Wheeler)
  • Kelly Reilly (Beth Dutton)
  • Gil Birmingham (Thomas Rainwater)
  • Wes Bentley (Jamie Dutton)
  • Kelsey Asbille (Monica Dutton)

With main members of the cast unable to work during the strike, it seems Yellowstone fans will have to wait even longer for new episodes. Stay tuned for any updates on this story.