Yellowstone: 1944

Yellowstone: 1944, the latest installment in Taylor Sheridan’s sweeping American saga, takes a bold step back in time—far from the ranch politics of modern-day Montana, deep into the smoke and fire of World War II. This imagined prequel paints a powerful portrait of the Dutton family’s wartime chapter, revealing the roots of their fierce resilience and complicated legacy.

Set during the final years of World War II, the film follows a young John Dutton Sr. (played with quiet intensity by Josh Hartnett) as he leaves the Yellowstone ranch to join the U.S. Army, eventually finding himself in the thick of the European theater. Torn between duty to his country and loyalty to the land his family has fought to protect for generations, John faces the brutal realities of war—and the moral compromises it demands.

Back home in Montana, his wife Margaret (Lily Rabe) and younger brother Spencer struggle to maintain the ranch amidst economic hardship, political pressure, and growing tensions with neighboring landowners. As the war drags on, the battle on the home front becomes just as fierce, and just as personal.

Visually, Yellowstone: 1944 is stunning. Director David Mackenzie brings both the war-torn landscapes of France and the golden plains of Montana to life with a painter’s eye. The contrast between the chaos of the battlefield and the stillness of the American West deepens the emotional weight of the story.

What sets Yellowstone: 1944 apart from other wartime dramas is its emotional complexity. Rather than glorifying combat, the film focuses on the personal costs of conflict—family separation, post-traumatic grief, and the long shadow war casts over future generations. The Duttons’ love for the land is still present, but here it’s more vulnerable, more at risk.

There are hints that the war experiences of John Dutton Sr. will echo into the Yellowstone universe we already know. Fans of the series will recognize foreshadowing in letters written from the front lines, and in flashbacks that suggest secrets the modern Duttons may still carry.

In all, Yellowstone: 1944 is a powerful addition to the franchise—a mature, moving war drama that enriches the Dutton mythology while standing strong as a story in its own right.