Season one of 1923 ended in dramatic fashion, with the Dutton family ranch under attack and Spencer and Alex torn apart on their way to help save it. Unfortunately for fans of the Yellowstone prequel, the resolutions to those plot lines and other cliffhangers aren’t coming anytime soon.
The first season premiered in December of 2022, and hopes were high that the second season would follow that schedule. That now seems unlikely, due to the Writers Guild of America strike, which is now in its second month.
According to NBC Montana, production was supposed to begin in Butte earlier in June. The production company had a contract to rent out the Butte Civic Center for film sets and storage, but Civic Center manager Bill Melvin told NBC Montana that the project has been “delayed indefinitely” due to the strike.
Filming of season 1 shut down the Civic Center for most of 2022, with the production company paying $75,000 a month to rent the facility, according to KXLF Butte.
What’s more, cast members of the show have confirmed that season 2 will be its last. Brandon Sklenar, who portrays Spencer Dutton, confirmed the news to The Hollywood Reporter. The actor said, “It’s still limited, but I think of it as one piece—there’s just a split in the middle, but it’s all one piece. It will conclude.”
This news comes on the heels of what’s been a very tumultuous year for the Yellowstone universe. Contract disputes with star Kevin Costner have lead to the end of the original series (the second half of the final season is set to air in November), and a new yet-to-be-named series will pick up where that show lets off.