'Yellowstone': Billy Bob Thornton Joins Cast of Upcoming Spinoff '1883'

By Daniel S. Levine

The Yellowstone prequel series 1883 might only be available on Paramount+, but that is not stopping creator Taylor Sheridan from attracting top-shelf talent. Billy Bob Thornton is the latest star to join the upcoming Western, which tracks the Dutton family's trek through the Great Plains to Montana. The series already stars country music superstars Tim McGraw and Faith Hill, as well as Sam Elliott.

Thornton signed on for a guest role as Marshal Jim Courtright, reports Variety. It is not known how many episodes he will appear in. It is Thornton's latest television role, following his absolutely chilling, Emmy-nominated performance as Lorne Malvo in the first season of FX's Fargo series. He also starred in Amazon Prime Video's Goliath, which earned Thornton a Golden Globe. The fourth and last season of Goliath will be released on Sept. 24.

Prior to his recent small-screen roles, Thornton was known almost exclusively for his film work. His long list of credits include Bad Santa, The Man Who Wasn't There, Monster's Ball, The Alamo, and Friday Night Lights. He has Oscar nominations for his performances in Sling Blade and A Simple Plan. Thornton also wrote the screenplay for Sling Blade, winning the 1996 Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay.

1883 will star real-life couple McGraw and Hill as James and Margaret Dutton, the ancestors of Kevin Costner's Yellowstone character John Dutton. The series will show how the Dutton family traveled across the country to establish their ranch in Montana and escape poverty. Elliott, whose presence is a requirement in modern Westerns, will play cowboy Shea Brennan, a tragic figure who helps guide a group from Texas to Montana. The series will premiere on Paramount+ on Dec. 19.

Yellowstone Season 4 will finally premiere on the Paramount Network on Sunday, Nov. 7, with a two-hour episode. Fans will have to wait until the show returns to learn if John, Beth (Kelly Reilly) and Kayce (Luke Grimes) survived the threats to their lives at the end of Season 3. The new season also introduces Oscar-nominee Jacki Weaver as Caroline Warner and Covert Affairs star Piper Perabo as Summer Higgins. While 1883 will be available on Paramount+, the first three seasons of Yellowstone are only available to stream on Peacock due to a licensing agreement ViacomCBS signed with NBCUniversal last year.

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