MONTANA – Luke Grimes is trading the sprawling Yellowstone Ranch for a federal badge. The actor, best known for his stoic portrayal of Kayce Dutton in the hit Paramount Network series, will reprise the role in “Marshals,” a new spinoff premiering Sunday on CBS and Paramount+, continuing the narrative beyond the conclusion of “Yellowstone’s” fifth and final season in 2024.
The transition, orchestrated by showrunner Spencer Hudnut, shifts the focus from the Dutton family’s neo-Western struggles to a Western law enforcement procedural. Grimes’s Kayce Dutton will now operate as a U.S. Marshal in Montana, a move designed to both honor the spirit of “Yellowstone” and forge a distinct identity for the new series.
“We wanted to build it feel organic and we wanted there to be enough of the sort of ethos of ‘Yellowstone’ in there that the original fans could have something to hold on to getting into the show, but then have it have somewhere to go that felt like its own thing,” Grimes said, according to the Associated Press.
“Marshals” delves into Dutton’s previously hinted-at military background, specifically his experience as a Navy SEAL. The pilot episode features Dutton utilizing skills honed during his time in the military – such as unlocking a cellphone using a deceased individual’s biometrics – abilities largely unexplored in “Yellowstone.”
“We barely scratched the surface of that,” Grimes explained. “In a way, it was kind of a blessing because we have all that stuff to explore now without it feeling like we just made some stuff up.”
The series aims to portray Dutton’s decision to join the Marshals Service as a deliberate attempt at personal transformation and a desire to positively impact his community and his son’s life. “Clearly he’s making an effort to do something different here and change his life and change his son’s life at the same time,” Grimes said. “Because whatever dream that he had is over now, he’s never getting it back.”
Joining Grimes are Logan Marshall-Green, Arielle Kebbel, Ash Santos, and Tatanka Means, alongside returning “Yellowstone” cast members Gil Birmingham, Moses Brings Plenty, and Brecken Merrill, reprising their roles. Hudnut described the series as a “non-traditional procedural,” emphasizing character development alongside weekly cases.
“Marshals” is one of several potential spinoffs stemming from the “Yellowstone” universe, joining projects like “6666,” “1944,” and “The Madison.” Other series, including “1883,” “Lawmen: Bass Reeves,” and “1923,” have already premiered, expanding the franchise’s reach.
Grimes, who also serves as a producer on “Marshals,” described the experience as a natural progression in his 22-year acting career. He noted the opportunity to understand the production process beyond performance, stating, “I’ve been working professionally as an actor since I was 20 and I’m 42 now… I’ve had plenty of time to suppose about if I ever do obtain the opportunity to be No. 1 on the call sheet of something that’s a big investment for some company, then I’ll know how to handle it.”
The series promises a steady stream of action, with the Marshal team confronting a range of criminal elements, including gangs, drug cartels, and human traffickers. The pilot episode centers around a bombing, setting the stage for a high-stakes narrative. Grimes stated the show will focus on “good people going after the bad people.”
A new song by Grimes will be featured in the emotional closing scene of the pilot episode. Grimes, who is also releasing a new album in April, will be unable to tour this year due to his commitments to “Marshals.”
