Yellowstone’s Kayce Dutton Faces His Darkest Demons in Spinoff Y: Marshals
The Yellowstone universe continues to expand — and this time, it’s Luke Grimes’ Kayce Dutton stepping into the spotlight. The new CBS spinoff, Y: Marshals, promises a grittier, more introspective chapter for the former rancher turned soldier, as he trades the open plains of Montana for the hard-edged world of U.S. law enforcement.
A Man Haunted by His Past
In an exclusive Us Weekly teaser, Kayce’s struggle takes center stage. “I am just grappling with some skeletons I would like to keep in my closet,” he admits to his fellow recruits, signaling a man trying — and perhaps failing — to outrun his own history.
The clip also teases a major transformation. “I’m changing paths,” he says. “Trying to find a new beginning.”
But for a Dutton, finding peace has never been easy.
From Cowboy to U.S. Marshal
According to CBS, Y: Marshals follows Kayce as he leaves ranch life behind to join an elite unit of U.S. Marshals. Drawing on his skills as both a cowboy and Navy SEAL, Kayce becomes part of a high-stakes task force delivering “range justice” across Montana.
The synopsis hints that the team must navigate “the high psychological cost of serving as the last line of defense in the region’s war on violence” — a fitting challenge for a man who has always straddled the line between duty and morality.
The cast includes Arielle Kebbel, Ash Santos, Tatanka Means, Brett Cullen, and Logan Marshall-Green. Cullen plays Harry Gifford, the no-nonsense head of the U.S. Marshals in Montana, while Kebbel, Santos, and Means star as Kayce’s fellow agents — Belle, Andrea, and Miles.
Luke Grimes on Saying Goodbye — and Starting Over
Grimes opened up about his emotional farewell to Yellowstone, which concluded earlier this year. “On the last day of shooting, I thought it was my last day as Kayce. It was over to me,” he told People. “It was seven years of playing a person that I’ll never see again.”
He admitted that saying goodbye was harder than expected. “It was like losing a family,” he said. “None of us wanted it to be over — not the cast, not the fans, not even the network.”
Yet the actor was quickly drawn back in when producers pitched Y: Marshals. “If it was just like, ‘Well, he’s happy,’ that’s not very cool,” Grimes said. “But the idea they pitched me was very interesting. It really roped me in, and I think it will rope the audience in as well.”
What Fans Can Expect
Grimes confirmed that Y: Marshals will feature a mix of new and familiar faces — hinting at possible cameos from Yellowstone alumni. He described the series as a “transition” that puts Kayce in a new kind of wilderness — one shaped by law, violence, and the ghosts he carries.
The series premieres spring 2026 on CBS, airing Sundays at 9 p.m. ET as a midseason replacement.