Harrison Ford opted to commemorate May the 4th not with reverence to Star Wars, but by celebrating the Yellowstone prequel series, 1923, which recently unveiled its second and potentially final season. During a For Your Consideration (FYC) event for the series held in Los Angeles on Sunday, Ford, who portrays patriarch Jacob Dutton alongside Helen Mirren's Cara, shared with The Hollywood Reporter his admiration for the season two finale's conclusion. "It was fantastic," he enthused. "The storytelling was tight and precise, leaving me thoroughly delighted. This might very well be the most dense and engaging script I've had the privilege to work on in years."
Mirren, ever the joker, quipped, "I was convinced I was going to meet my demise, so I was quite taken aback to still be breathing at the show's end." Indeed, the second season wrapped up with both Mirren's and Ford's characters surviving, while Alex (played by Julia Schlaepfer) finally reached Montana and gave birth to her and Spencer Dutton's (Brandon Sklenar) child, John, moments before succumbing to her fate. This newborn appears to be the direct familial tie to John Dutton III, portrayed by Kevin Costner in Yellowstone, though the cast refrains from confirming this without the blessing of creator Taylor Sheridan.
"I adore the notion that Yellowstone's future rests in the hands of this tiny infant, cradled by two elderly individuals, grandparents in their twilight years," Mirren continued, referencing her final scene holding baby John. "And if I'm not mistaken, Taylor [Sheridan] intends to delve into 1944 next, which promises to be equally intriguing. The next generation unfolds."
1944 marks the subsequent chronological prequel in the Yellowstone universe, though Paramount has yet to officially announce if 1923 indeed concludes with its second season. This temporal leap implies that a 20-year-old John Dutton II could steal the spotlight in 1944, and Sklenar has expressed keen interest in reprising his role as Spencer, now a father running the family ranch, in this upcoming prequel. As for Ford and Mirren's characters, nearing 100 years old in 1944, they remain open to returning in flashbacks or any other capacity within the Yellowstone saga. "I'm still kicking," Ford joked about Jacob Dutton, adding that he'd be eager to return if Sheridan "asks nicely." However, he admitted, "I'm clueless about his plans."
Schlaepfer, too, harbors hopes of returning as Alex in some capacity, having previously pitched to THR the idea of returning as a ghost. "Brandon was advocating for me to haunt the show as a ghost," she added now. "An Alex ghost, for certain."
At the event, Mirren, Ford, Schlaepfer, and Aminah Nieves engaged in a Q&A session about the season; unfortunately, Sklenar had to cancel due to illness. Ford highlighted how his character's brutal actions in the series premiere, such as hanging four men, presented an opportunity to delve into a multifaceted characterization. "This isn't a hero," he emphasized. "This is a complex individual who commits heinous acts and moves on with his life. Playing such a character is incredibly intriguing and not a role that often comes my way."
As the panelists discussed the significance of real-life sets and the generous budgets that enabled the creation of the show's world, Ford continued, "This isn't your typical cowboys-and-Indians flick. It's a deeply intricate tale rooted in a complex history, replete with searing details that defy traditional Western mythology. Yet, by examining these myths, we understand their persistence in American culture. This mythology endures, particularly during critical junctures in American history, such as the advent of the Great Depression and the transformative changes wrought by modernization. Fortunately, we had a writer who wove this complexity into the narrative."
