Chad Feehan, creator, executive producer and showruner of Dutton Ranch, is leaving the Yellowstone offshoot starring the mothership’s Kelly Reilly and Cole Hauser ahead of its series premiere May 15, Deadline has confirmed.
It is unclear when exactly Feehan departed the new series, which also stars Ed Harris and Annette Bening, but according to sources, he oversaw the finished first season. As for the reasons why he won’t be returning, I hear that while he delivered as a writer, Feehan faced challenges handling the bold-faced cast, a key component of showrunner’s job.
Showrunner changes on Taylor Sheridan series are fairly common. It is unclear whether Feehan will be replaced if/when Dutton Ranch is renewed for a second season; a number of series in the Taylor-verse don’t have traditional writing showrunners, often relying on directors who serve in that capacity on set.
This is the second Sheridan series Feehan had created following Lawmen: Bass Reeves.
Dutton Ranch follows Beth (Reilly) and Rip (Hauser) as they fight to build a future together. 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, per the logline.
Yellowstone‘s Finn Little also returns for the spinoff, joined by new cast Juan Pablo Raba, Jai Courtney, J.R. Villarreal, Marc Menchaca and Natalie Alyn Lind.
Dutton Ranch is produced by Paramount Television Studios and 101 Studios. Feehan executive produced Season 1 alongside Sheridan, John Linson, David C. Glasser, Art Linson, Ron Burkle, David Hutkin, Bob Yari, Christina Alexandra Voros, Michael Friedman, Hauser, Reilly and Keith Cox. Directors include Voros, Greg Yaitanes, Jessica Lowrey and Phil Abraham.
The nine-episode Season 1 of premieres on Paramount+ on May 15 with two episodes and will also air on Paramount Network.
The news of Feehan’s exit was first reported by Variety.
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