Yellowstone Success Pauses Paramount Network Rebranding

Yellowstone’s major ratings success is pausing the Paramount Network rebranding plan to the Paramount Movie Network by owner ViacomCBS. Co-created by Oscar nominee Taylor Sheridan and Sons of Anarchy alum John Linson, the neo-Western drama centers on the Dutton family, the owners of the largest ranch in Montana. Yellowstone explores the drama within the family and their conflicts with the neighboring Broken Rock Indian Reservation, national park and land developers.

Kevin Costner leads the ensemble cast of Yellowstone as Dutton patriarch John alongside Wes Bentley, Kelly Reilly, Luke Grimes, Cole Hauser, Gil Birmingham and Danny Huston. The show first premiered on the Paramount Network in mid-2018 to mixed reviews from critics and decent ratings for the recently rebranded cable channel. Yellowstone has subsequently grown with each new season, receiving generally positive reviews and critics and large ratings for Paramount Network.

A few weeks after season 4 came to a close, Deadline has brought word that ViacomCBS’ plan for Paramount Network’s rebranding into the Paramount Movie Network is being paused thanks in large part to Yellowstone‘s success. The original plan was to see the updated cable network air 52 original movies a year and one miniseries or scripted series airing per quarter, though the neo-Western show’s success has caused a reversal in this plan. Sources report that the Paramount Network rebranding plan will likely not move forward at all, not just in the near future.

The initial Paramount Network rebranding plan came as a surprise to many and created the question of what the future wold hold for Yellowstone. Despite its mixed start, the show has subsequently grown into a massive hit for the network, nearly doubling its average viewership of the first two seasons with season 3. Yellowstone season 4 has also gone on to break numerous records since premiering in November, bringing in over 8 million viewers with its two-hour premiere and seeing its finale earlier this month drawing in the highest ratings for any cable TV episode since The Walking Dead’s season 8 premiere in 2017.

ViacomCBS has also utilized Yellowstone’s success to help build its other brands, with the prequel spin-off 1883 being developed purposely for fresh streaming platform Paramount+ alongside Sheridan’s other new series Mayor of Kingstown. Both shows would air their premieres in a linear format between both the streamer and Paramount Network, with 1883 becoming the most-watched cable series premiere in six years and having received generally positive reviews from critics. With this success, audiences can look forward to Yellowstone returning for season 5 on the Paramount Network later this year and potentially more in the future.