The latest Yellowstone prequel, Lawmen: Bass Reeves, drops its first images ahead of a planned release on Paramount+ later this year. Led by two-time Emmy nominee David Oyelowo, the spinoff tells the story of its titular character Bass Reeves, who became the first Black U.S. Marshal in the American West. The upcoming eight-episode is executive produced by Taylor Sheridan, who also created the Yellowstone franchise.
Per Vanity Fair, the first photos of Lawmen: Bass Reeves have been revealed, and they highlight the cast. Along with Oyelowo as Reeves, the gallery below highlights Lauren E. Banks as Reeves’ wife Jennie, Shea Whigham, Barry Pepper as former Confederate soldier Esau Pierce, Demi Singleton as Reeves’ daughter Sally, Forrest Goodluck as Billy Crow, and Dennis Quaid as Sherrill Lynn. It’s also confirmed that Lawmen: Bass Reeves will debut on Paramount+ later this year.
What’s Lawmen: Bass Reeves About? (& How Does It Connect To Yellowstone?)
The Paramount+ show, which was filmed in Texas, promises to bring “the legendary lawman of the wild west to life.” It will shed light on Reeves, who is regarded as “the greatest frontier hero in American history.” He worked post-Reconstruction era in the role of a federal peace officer in the Indian Territory, capturing thousands of the most dangerous criminals without ever being wounded. Lawmen: Bass Reeves also features familiar faces, such as Donald Sutherland and Garrett Hedlund, in guest roles.
Lawmen: Bass Reeves is a spinoff of 1883. That series, also a Yellowstone spinoff, focused on the Dutton family as they traveled through the Great Plains in hopes of reaching what is deemed as the last bastion of untamed America. It was positioned as a stark retelling of Western expansion and a harrowing study of one family fleeing poverty.
With a cast that included Sam Elliott, Tim McGraw, Faith Hill, Billy Bob Thornton, Isabel May, LaMonica Garrett, Audie Rick, Marc Rissmann, Eric Nelsen, and James Landry Hébert, 1883 was a limited series that ran for ten episodes. But with Lawmen: Bass Reeves, which has Chad Feehan as creator and showrunner, the Yellowstone saga is continuing to expand.