Taking a step away from the Yellowstone fame, one of the series’ lead actors, Cole Hauser, is now prepping to work on a new TV adaptation

of author Doug J. Swanson’s novel, titled Blood Aces. According to Deadline, the following project is being undertaken by MGM Television and Hauser’s own production company, American Outlaw Entertainment.

 

 

At the same time, the project brings in Sylvester Stallone in an executive position through his company, Balboa Productions. With the star currently shooting Tulsa King for Paramount, his involvement with the project is a welcome surprise alongside Hauser, who is also set to lead the series as the main protagonist.

When Taylor Sheridan’s hit Paramount Network series “Yellowstone” ended in 2024, fans might have noticed a small tribute at the beginning of the final episode to a man named Bob Avila, reading: “This episode is dedicated to Bob Avila. See you down the dusty trail, amigo.” Onscreen tributes to people who contributed to a television series and have passed away are nothing new, with projects as varied as the FX comedy series “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia” and Joe Carnahan’s recent rip-roaring Netflix crooked cop movie “The Rip” giving honors to someone who mattered to the production. But who is Bob Avila, and why does he matter to the “Yellowstone” team?

While “Yellowstone” was kind of a chaotic soap opera that occasionally makes absolutely zero sense, one thing series creator Taylor Sheridan clearly takes very seriously are the real horse trainers, riders, and ranchers that inspire the show. The series also paid tribute to Billy Klapper, an old-school cowboy who made handmade cowboy gear out of his Pampa, Texas workshop. Klapper had a brief cameo in season 5, but sadly died before the episode aired, leading to the crew ending the episode with a card that reads “In Loving Memory of Billy Klapper.” It’s cool that the series not only paid tribute to these men after they died, but that they had them make cameos at all, lending some authenticity to the fictionalized ranching world.

“Yellowstone” was often at its best when it focused on the family dynamics of the Duttons and allowed Costner to be a charming paternal figure, and Avila’s cameo is one of those truly great moments. He was a part of the best season of “Yellowstone” as well as being an absolute horse riding legend.

Taylor Sheridan found success with the Yellowstone franchise, but the show has also led to a surprising number of offscreen feuds.

The western drama, which premiered in 2018, followed the conflicts along the shared border of a large cattle ranch and the Broken Rock Indian Reservation. Kevin Costner got Us invested in the show with his performance as the Dutton family patriarch, but the drama didn’t just remain on screen.

While Yellowstone was initially poised for a lengthy run on the Paramount Network, rumors about Costner’s future on the show put things to a halt. Costner and series creator Sheridan denied reports of a feud, but Paramount Network confirmed in May 2023 that Yellowstone would end for good at the end of season 5. The hits kept coming with Costner not returning for the second half of the final season.

“Kevin has been a big part of Yellowstone’s success,” a spokesperson for the network said in a statement at the time. “While we had hoped that we would continue working with him, unfortunately, we could not find a window that worked for him, all the other talent and our production needs in order to move forward together. We respect that Kevin has prioritized his new film series and we wish him the best.”

Yellowstone’s Offscreen Drama Through the Years: On-Set Tension, Political Controversy and More

Costner, who shifted his focus to directing and acting in Horizon: An American Saga, stood by his decision to move on.

“It wasn’t tough,” he told The Hollywood Reporter in June 2024. “It was a necessary decision to say, ‘Hey, OK, I don’t want to really talk about this anymore. It’s time to move on.’”

Costner continued: “I gave this thing five seasons. I was really happy to do it. And I don’t need drama. So, let’s just take that drama away, let’s take the guessing [away]. The fans have been way too good to me. And my obligation is to go on and continue to make things that mean something to them.”

Yellowstone subsequently ended later that year with Costner’s character getting killed off. The series finale paved the way for his former costars Cole Hauser, Kelly Reilly and Luke Grimes to continue to tell stories in the Yellowstone universe in addition to spinoffs starring new cast members.