David Oyelowo’s Yellowstone spinoff will profile a legendary lawman of the Wild West. Oyelowo is set to star in the 1883 spinoff 1883: The Bass Reeves Story, announced Paramount+ on May 17. The news was revealed in a press release about Harrison Ford and Helen Mirren joining the cast of 1932, a prequel to Yellowstone. Yellowstone creator Taylor Sheridan is behind all Yellowstone shows.
Bass Reeves, born in 1838, was the first Black deputy U.S. marshal west of the Mississippi River. During his career, he apprehended over 3,000 criminals without ever injuring himself. Among the great American frontier heroes, Reeves’ exploits are said to have inspired the Lone Ranger.
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For six years, the actor has attempted to produce a Reeves series via his production firm Yoruba Saxon, which has an overall contract with ViacomCBS. Ultimately, Sheridan said yes, although it was not initially associated with Yellowstone when the project was announced in 2021. However, The Bass Reeves Story will now officially become a part of the Yellowstone universe.
Oyelowo told PopCulture.com and other media at the May 18 Paramount Upfront in New York City that finally having the show produced is a “pinch-me moment” after having “everyone reject it.” To have your conviction validated is always a good thing,” he said. When asked if The Bass Reeves Story would ever cross over with the other Yellowstone series, Oyelowo answered, “This is very much a stand-alone story. But I think as it pertains to 1883, you see a world that I think audiences are loving having an entry point into.”
“And in some ways, Bass Reeves gives some context from a different lens of some of the things that were happening at that time,” he continued. “It was post the civil war. It was going into reconstruction. It was a time when, as a black man very much within living memory, he was enslaved, and now he was deputized to bring law to the Indian territories. It was a time of huge change in America. And so, we get to see another side of what was going on in America at that time.”
In prepping for the role of Bass Reeves, the Selma star said, “There’s a huge physical component. This guy was basically a superhero in a historical context. He was amazing with a gun, amazing on a horse, but also there’s the research component as well in terms of being historically accurate. So, a lot of strands on this one.”
In February, on the Yellowstone Instagram account, Sheridan praised Oyelowo in a video post, calling him a “once-in-a-generation talent.” Oyelowo also appeared in the clip, adding, “To look at a character like Bass Reeves — I mean, this is the guy The Lone Ranger was based on, who got whitewashed out of history. I just can’t wait to get on that horse and tell this story.”
An announcement regarding the release date of 1883: The Bass Reeves Story will be made in the near future. Yellowstone Season 5 is currently in production.
