Kayce is back. Tate’s grown up. Chief Rainwater issues a warning. But Monica? Nowhere to be seen.

The Dutton Legacy Rides Again

The Yellowstone universe isn’t finished with us yet. This week’s trailer drop for the Y: Marshals spin-off confirmed what fans have long hoped: Luke Grimes returns as Kayce Dutton, taking center stage in a gritty new chapter set to premiere in March 2026.

But this time, Kayce isn’t a ranch hand or livestock agent—he’s joined the U.S. Marshals, tracking criminals across Montana’s untamed backcountry. The trailer teases high-stakes action, emotional weight, and familiar faces—with one major exception.

Familiar Faces — and a Warning

Among the returning Yellowstone veterans are:

• Gil Birmingham as Chief Thomas Rainwater, offering this ominous line:
  “All Duttons are born killers. But you—you’re a protector.”

• Brecken Merrill as Tate Dutton, now visibly older, battle-hardened, and ready to fight beside his father.

• Mo Brings Plenty as Mo, reinforcing the spiritual and tribal roots of Kayce’s journey.

It’s a callback to the emotional and cultural threads that made Yellowstone unforgettable—especially in Kayce’s story.

New Cast, New Conflicts

The trailer also introduces several new characters:

• Ash Santos, Tatanka Means, and Arielle Kebbel as Kayce’s fellow Marshals

• Brett Cullen as their regional chief

• Logan Marshall-Green as Pete Calvin, Kayce’s old military friend, now turned ally or rival (or both)

Visually, the series blends wide-open western vistas with modern tactical ops—a Taylor Sheridan hallmark, reinvented.

But through all the gunfire and grit, one question echoes loudest…

Where Is Monica Dutton?

Despite the focus on Kayce’s new role, the trailer offers no glimpse of Kelsey Asbille’s Monica—Kayce’s wife and moral anchor throughout Yellowstone.

Even more unsettling? The trailer opens with Kayce kneeling at a fresh burial site, voice heavy with grief. “I’ve lost too much to ever go back,” he says.

Fans are already speculating:

• Did Monica die between series?

• Is her story being hidden for a major twist?

• Or is she simply absent from the pilot arc?

Asbille’s name is also missing from the official cast roster—fueling concerns that Monica’s absence might be permanent.

Without Costner, Grimes Takes the Lead

With Kevin Costner’s exit after Yellowstone’s final season, Y: Marshals positions Luke Grimes as the emotional and narrative lead. In interviews, Grimes admitted the new tone felt like a reset:
“To be honest, it was the easiest season we’ve filmed… No hard feelings, but [Costner’s] a big deal.”

Gone is the political backroom chess of John Dutton’s reign. In its place? A man with a badge, a horse, and a lifetime of scars.