Yellowstone prequel 1932 lands two A-list stars and a December release

Helen Mirren and Harrison Ford
Helen Mirren and Harrison Ford are going to star in the Yellowstone prequel 1932. (Image credit: Helen Mirren: Giles Keyte; Harrison Ford: Anthony Harvey/Getty Images)

Welcome to the Yellowstone universe Helen Mirren and Harrison Ford, as the two actors have been cast in the upcoming Yellowstone prequel series 1932 (labeled as a working title by the streaming service). In addition, the new Paramount Plus original series and follow-up to 1883, is going to premiere on the streaming service in December.

1932 is another series that chronicles the history of the Dutton family that are the main characters of Taylor Sheridan’s hit series Yellowstone. After 1883 followed the Duttons as they took part in a wagon train from Texas to their eventual home in Montana, 1932 is going to pick up in the titular year with a new generation of Duttons as they "explore the 20th century at a time when pandemics, historic drought, the end of Prohibition and the Great Depression all plague the mountain West and the Duttons who call it home," according to Paramount Plus’ logline.

It is not clear at this time who Mirren and Ford are going to play in the series. Could they be Duttons or could they be antagonists opposing what the Duttons are building in Montana? We’ll have to wait and see.

Mirren is an Oscar-winner (Best Actress for The Queen), but TV has been a big part of her career as well. She starred in the British drama series Prime Suspect in the '90s, for which she won an Emmy (Outstanding Lead Actress in a Miniseries or Special) and was nominated three others, as well as multiple BAFTAs; some of her other TV work has included Elizabeth I, Catherine the Great and currently as the voice of Rita St. Swithens on Netflix’s Human Resources.

For Harrison Ford, the Yellowstone prequel is set to be his first on-screen TV role since a cameo appearance on The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles in 1993, though his early career saw him appear on TV shows like The Virginian, Ironside, Mod Squad and The F.B.I. It does however mark the second TV series Ford has signed onto recently, as he is also set to star in Apple TV Plus’ Shrinking.

No specific date was given for the 1932 premiere date outside of December. 1883 also had a December release date in 2021, airing its first two episodes on Paramount Network with new episodes of Yellowstone season 4 before showing exclusively on Paramount Plus. With Yellowstone season 5 expected to be released in the fall of 2022, it’s possible 1932 could follow a similar strategy, though nothing is confirmed as of yet.

Viewers can watch all of 1883 right now on Paramount Plus, while the first four seasons of Yellowstone are available to stream on Peacock in the US (will be on Paramount Plus when the service launches in the UK June 22).

Michael Balderston

Michael Balderston is a DC-based entertainment and assistant managing editor for What to Watch, who has previously written about the TV and movies with TV Technology, Awards Circuit and regional publications. Spending most of his time watching new movies at the theater or classics on TCM, some of Michael's favorite movies include Casablanca, Moulin Rouge!, Silence of the Lambs, Children of Men, One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest and Star Wars. On the TV side he enjoys Only Murders in the Building, Yellowstone, The Boys, Game of Thrones and is always up for a Seinfeld rerun. Follow on Letterboxd.