The  universe is expanding yet again, this time with another generation of Duttons in the 1940s. On the heels of  and , Taylor Sheridan’s new  prequel  is officially in the works. And once again, fans should expect to see new Dutton faces when the official cast list is revealed.

The ‘Yellowstone’ prequels are introducing fans to every Dutton ranching generation

fans met the first generation of Duttons in the limited series , which starred Tim McGraw and Faith Hill as James and Margaret Dutton.

Those episodes told the story of how they traveled the Oregon Trail with their children — Elsa (Isabel May) and John (Audie Rick) — and how they chose the land in Montana that would eventually become the Dutton Ranch in .

The prequel  introduced the next generation of Duttons after James and Margaret’s passing. James’ brother Jacob (Harrison Ford) and sister-in-law Clara (Helen Mirren) are in charge of the ranch after World War I, along with a grown-up John (James Badge Dale).

Fans have also met Spencer Dutton (Brandon Sklenar), John’s younger brother who was born after the events of . He is a World War I veteran who is struggling with the horrors of war on another continent.

All of the ‘1923’ characters that will need to be re-cast in the new ‘Yellowstone’ prequel

Most of the actors in  will have to be recast for . With a 20-year time jump, Jacob and Cara will be gone. And, there’s no guarantee that John or Spencer will still be alive. If they are, though, Badge Dale and Sklenar could reprise their roles as aged-up versions of their  characters. But, what about the younger Duttons?

Darren Mann currently plays Jack Dutton, John’s son, and Jacob’s great-nephew.

He is dedicated to the upkeep of the ranch in . So, by , it’s extremely likely he will be running the ancestral seat. But, will Mann return to play the older version of the character?

Jack’s feisty wife Elizabeth Strafford Dutton is played by Michelle Randolph, and she could return for  under lots of makeup. As could Spencer’s betrothed, Alexandra (Schlaepfer). Those roles could stay with the same actors, but the little ones will definitely be recast.

Jack and Elizabeth’s son John Dutton (the father of Kevin Costner’s John Dutton) has yet to be born in . But, we know from the Dutton family tree that he will arrive at some point in the 1920s and he will be a young man in 

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What fans need to know about the new ‘Yellowstone’ prequel

The official word from the Paramount Network is that  is in development, and it was greenlit in early February.

“We’ve got , we’ve got the sequel, we’re not letting the cat out of the bag, it’s going to be called ,” 101 Studios executive vice president Tom Prince told Ravalli Republic.

The plot details are being kept under wraps, but the storyline is likely to include World War II as a plot engine or backdrop for a storyline.

Prince says that they will probably be shooting the majority of the series in Montana’s Bitterroot Valley at the Chief Joseph Ranch, just like the other series in the  universe. But, there could be some big set pieces in other locations, like fans have seen in .

Elsa’s voiceover in the  pilot could give fans an idea of what’s to come in . It appears that Jack will be in charge of the ranch, without Spencer.

As she explained, “My father had three children. Only one would live to see their own children grow. Only one would carry the fate of this family through the Depression, and every other hell the twentieth century hurled at them.

 returns to Paramount Network this summer for the second half of season 5.  and  are now playing on Paramount+.