Back in 2023, the news broke that Matthew McConaughey could become part of the ever-expanding “Yellowstone” universe, with the actor said to be eyeing a role in the spin-off series “The Madison.” Sadly, McConaughey later dropped out of the project, with “The Madison” now set to be fronted by Kurt Russell and Michelle Pfeiffer. No doubt the legendary stars will be more than capable of carrying the series, but it does seem like a missed opportunity to get McConaughey into a show that seems tailor made to support his Texan charm — especially since it’s written by proud Lone Star State scribe Taylor Sheridan.
Alas, it seems for now fans of the “Yellowstone” saga and its spin-offs will be McConaughey-less for the foreseeable future. In the meantime, however, the mothership series itself is gearing up for the launch of what could very well be its final ever episodes, with the long-awaited season 5B of “Yellowstone” set to arrive in November 2024. Many fans are expecting Kevin Costner’s John Dutton to be killed off in this final installment, though actual plot details have been kept tightly under wraps, with Paramount going to extreme lengths to prevent “Yellowstone” plot leaks.
In the meantime, fans eager to see McConaughey enter the fray will have to make do with some comments from the “Dallas Buyers Club” star from 2023, where he gave his insights into the character of John Dutton and his family’s cowboy ethos.
Matthew McConaughey knows what Yellowstone is about
Matthew McConaughey is a great actor, and part of why he’s so good on-screen is, I think, because he does enjoy hearing himself talking in grandiose terms to the extent he’s turned his everyday manner into a performance in and of itself. If you think that’s unfair, take a look at this moment from the absolutely bizarre “Art of Livin'” event the actor hosted in 2023.
As such, it’s not a surprise to see the man delivering a dramatic take on “Yellowstone” during an interview with Lex Fridman, in which McConaughey spoke about the appeal of the show and its lead, Kevin Costner. “I admire the simplicity of it,” he said. “One way you could explain ‘Yellowstone’ and Costner’s role is, ‘What will men do to protect land and family in a world that is trying to encroach?'” That is very much the literal theme of the show, so we’d say McConaughey was bang on, there. But the actor went on to explain more about his appreciation for “Yellowstone,” adding, “In a world where there’s a cowboy ethos that deems trespassing more clear, earlier than other hats. I admire that simplicity of right and wrong.” Not that I want to accuse McConaughey of being inarticulate, but I’m not entirely sure he knew what he meant here, beyond “Cowboys don’t like trespassing.”
That said, the man is right in his assessment of John Dutton and his fellow ranchers as viewing trespassing as an egregious transgression. This is, after all, the show that began with John’s son, Lee Dutton, meeting his fate as a result of trying to retrieve some cattle from a neighboring reservation. In a slightly more limpid analysis of the Dutton’s moral code, McConaughey remarked that it’s “above the law,” adding:
“It’s a little bit of, ‘If the law ain’t handling this, I am.’ And then it is, ‘The law’s not going to handle it, therefore I am.’ Then it’s, ‘I’m handling this. The law? Talk to them when you get to them. I’m handling this.'”
That’s a fair summation of the Dutton, and by extension, the cowboy/rancher ethos. Lamentably, at this stage it looks as though we’ll never get to see McConaughey give voice to any of that ethos within the “Yellowstone” universe. Still, with the spin-offs continuing to pile up, there’s always a chance.