Cole Hauser Explains Why ‘Yellowstone’ Spinoff Is Called ‘Dutton Ranch’ Instead of ‘Wheeler Ranch’
Dutton Ranch has been in the works since August 2024, four months before the Yellowstone series finale in December of the same year. For nearly a year and a half, the team behind the highly anticipated spinoff dodged questions about the series title and storyline. So much so that, in May 2025, Cole Hauser, who plays Rip Wheeler, confidently told Fox News Digital that the show wouldn’t be called Dutton Ranch.
“That’s not the name of it,” he corrected the reporter. Fast forward to May 2026—two episodes into the new series—and the 51-year-old actor is being faced once more with questions about the show’s title.
Earlier this month, ScreenRant reporter Liam Crowley sat down with Cole Hauser to discuss the spinoff’s title. When asked why it’s Dutton Ranch and not “Wheeler Ranch,” Cole couldn’t help but chuckle. “Well, in honor of John Dutton,” Cole said matter-of-factly.
“There’s not a scene that we were able to do this year—there’s so much going on with the moving to Texas and the pace of the show, so we saved it for maybe another time, but it’s in honor of John Dutton and the love that they both have for him.”
The way Cole sees it—and the way most fans see it—the Yellowstone universe simply wouldn’t exist without John Dutton.
“I mean, without John Dutton… where would Rip Wheeler be? I mean, he’d probably be in jail… he wasn’t doing so well when we met him,” Cole said during the interview, reflecting on the evolution of Yellowstone and the transition to Dutton Ranch. “[John] gave him a great opportunity to come and be a part of an amazing ranch and learn from him—his knowledge, his wisdom of cowboying, and the way of life—[he] taught him everything.”
Beyond loving and respecting John Dutton on screen, Cole admits that he’s long admired Kevin Costner, which only adds to the significance of working on Yellowstone and maintaining his character’s name on Dutton Ranch.
“I grew up watching Kevin in real life, and so the relationship was—I wouldn’t say easy, because, you know, Taylor never makes it easy when he writes; he wants to create drama—but it was wonderful to be able to work with a guy who you’ve respected your whole career,” Cole shared in the interview.
Although John Dutton is deceased, his legacy—and the lessons Kevin Costner taught Cole across five seasons—will live on. We can’t wait to see how it all comes to fruition on Dutton Ranch. New episodes air every Friday on Paramount+.