Yellowstone Renewed for Season 3, Lost’s Josh Holloway Joins Cast

Although season 2 of Paramount Network’s Yellowstone has just gotten underway, the cable network announces an early season 3 renewal as well as the addition of Josh Holloway to the cast. The modern-day Western starring Kevin Costner as embattled Montana ranch owner John Dutton hails from Sicario and Hell or High Water screenwriter Taylor Sheridan, telling the sprawling story of the Dutton family and its various interests and competitors in Big Sky Country, at least one of which includes Danny Huston in a familiarly villainous role.

Yellowstone is part soap opera and part prestige TV drama, where violence and underhandedness unfolds against a picturesque backdrop. The series is also the biggest hit to date for the Paramount Network after its rebranding from the dude-centric network Spike to the more respectable (and Viacom friendly) name it now has. The first season drew in impressive viewership numbers, becoming one of the most-watched shows on cable, and cementing Yellowstone’s place as the network’s flagship program. So it’s not too much of a surprise to see that Paramount would like to get the ball rolling on season 3 as soon as possible.

As reported by Deadline, in addition to the early renewal notice, Yellowstone is bringing in some new blood, in the form of former Lost and Colony star Josh Holloway. The actor will play Roarke Carter, a hedge-fund manager who has plans for Montana that will no doubt threaten the Duttons’ ranch and their livelihood.

Whether or not Roarke Carter (doesn’t it sound like that name should be reversed?) will actually antagonize John, his sons Kayce (Luke Grimes) and Jaime (Wes Bentley), or his laconic right-hand man Rip Wheeler (Cole Hauser) remains to be seen. But given Holloway’s good looks and scruffy charm, and his character’s profession as a hedge fund manager (this show’s version of Bobby ‘Axe’ Axelrod, perhaps?) it stands to reason he’ll be tangling more with John’s daughter Beth (Kelly Reilly) than anyone else.

Still, Roarke Carter could prove to be an unlikely ally to the insular Dutton clan and its various ranch hands. So perhaps Holloway will be around for the long haul — provided Paramount Network is interested in season 4 and beyond of Yellowstone — rather than a one-and-done character who leaves the door open for the next big antagonist or ally.