This Upcoming Yellowstone Spinoff May Spoil 1923’s Biggest Mystery

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1923 continues to flesh out the Dutton Family Saga as its second and final season builds to a crescendo. The final season of the hit prequel series follows the Duttons through a harsh winter as they work hard to maintain their family ranch despite numerous attackers from the outside. Meanwhile, Spencer and Alexandra Dutton go on separate adventures in a desperate attempt to get to Montana before they lose the ranch. Even with all this drama, fans are still obsessed with a different question altogether.

1883 and 1923 promise to lead up to the events of Yellowstone by telling the story of John Dutton III’s ancestors. However, 1923 hasn’t yet answered which members of its main cast are directly related to Kevin Costner’s Yellowstone character. John’s grandfather is one of 1923‘s main characters, but it isn’t yet clear which one. While Taylor Sheridan has remained characteristically tight-lipped about this mystery, he may have inadvertently revealed the answer by developing a different project, which tell fans all they need to know about the identity of John Dutton’s grandfather.

1944 Might Spoil 1923’s Biggest Mystery

1944’s Very Existence May Reveal a Dutton Family Secret Too Soon

1923 continues the Dutton Family Saga in the first quarter of the 20th century, with Jacob and Cara Dutton running the historic Yellowstone Ranch in rural Montana. With no children of their own, the couple raises Spencer Dutton, their nephew, and Jack Dutton, their great-nephew. Unlike 1883, however, it isn’t clear how 1923‘s main characters relate to the main cast of the original show. Someone in the main cast of 1923 is the grandfather of John Dutton III, Kevin Costner’s character from Yellowstone, but the franchise hasn’t yet revealed this individual’s identity. Both descendants of James Dutton could be revealed as John Dutton’s grandfather by the end of the series. However, the upcoming 1944 spinoff might have already answered this question.

1944 could suggest that Spencer is the grandfather of John Dutton III, not Jack. The upcoming spinoff will take place after the events of 1923 Season 2 and will follow Spencer and Alex Dutton’s continuing adventures as World War II rages in Europe. While there are few details about the upcoming series, the mere fact that the Yellowstone franchise is following Spencer and Alex’s continuing story seems to suggest their significance in the Dutton lineage. If Jack is John Dutton’s grandfather, it would make more sense to center the upcoming spinoff around his character, following him as he inherits the Yellowstone Ranch and eventually passes it on to his son. Instead, Yellowstone is deliberately focusing on his uncle, Spencer, suggesting that he is more likely John Dutton III’s ancestor. Moreover, the current storyline in 1923 follows a pregnant Alex as she tries to make it to Montana. Her child could very well be revealed to be John Dutton II, the father of Kevin Costner’s character from Yellowstone. As it stands now, everything is lining up for Spencer and Alex to be revealed as John Dutton III’s grandparents.

Is Spencer Dutton the Grandfather of John Dutton?

The Identity of John Dutton III’s Grandfather Is One of 1923’s Biggest Mysteries

Spencer Dutton (Brandon Sklenar) standing next to car in 1923 — Image via Paramount

While 1944‘s existence suggests that Spencer Dutton will be revealed as John Dutton III’s grandfather, things may not be as cut and dry as they seem. Brandon Sklenar, the actor who plays Spencer in 1923, recently revealed to ScreenRant that even he doesn’t know the answer to this question, making note of Taylor Sheridan’s intense secrecy. This could suggest that even Sheridan hasn’t decided whether Spencer or Jack will be revealed as John’s grandfather and that the answer won’t be revealed by the end of 1923. On the other hand, the fact that none of the cast yet knows the answer to this question could mean that it will be explored in 1944. If this is the case, it seems even more likely that Spencer and Alex will be part of John’s ancestry, as they will have a more prominent role in the series than Jack and Elizabeth.

It should also be noted that 1944 may simply be an outgrowth of Brandon Sklenar’s rising popularity. The actor has come to great prominence thanks to his roles in 1923 and It Ends With Us, leading many fans to campaign for Sklenar to join other popular franchises like the DCU and James Bond. Seeing Sklenar’s rising star, Taylor Sheridan may have simply wanted to cash in on the actor’s popularity by continuing his character’s story in his very own spinoff series. It could be that 1944‘s existence only indicates the popularity of Spencer Dutton as a character rather than his placement in the family’s lineage. Nevertheless, fans should stay locked into 1944 when it airs to find any more clues about John Dutton III’s ancestry.

What Will 1944 Be About?

1944 Follows the Events of 1923 Season 2

1944 is one of the most exciting upcoming Yellowstone spinoffs, following two of the best characters from 1923. The show will feature the returns of Brendan Sklenar and Julia Schlaepfer as Spencer and Alex Dutton, respectively, and will take place about twenty years after the events of 1923. In a world ravaged by war, the two star-crossed lovers will navigate a new way of life and, presumably, find themselves inextricably tied to the Yellowstone Ranch in Montana, as so many Duttons seem to be. The series will also likely star some familiar faces from 1923, including Darren Mann’s Jack Dutton and Michelle Randolph’s Elizabeth Stratton.

1944 will also complete the Dutton family tree, likely including John Dutton II, the father of Kevin Costner’s character from Yellowstone. This would finally bring the franchise full circle, having followed the Duttons from the pioneer days all the way up until the present day. 1944 will likely act as the last of the Yellowstone franchise’s prequel series, with Taylor Sheridan now focusing on continuations of the original series rather than glimpses into the Dutton family’s history. All other upcoming spinoffs are set after Yellowstone Season 5, following characters like Rip and Beth in the aftermath of the flagship series’ explosive finale. Thus, 1944 will be the end of an era for the Yellowstone franchise, completing a story that spans over a century.