Paramount's Bass Reeves TV show is now a Yellowstone prequel
The historical figure is joining the Yellowstone universe
The Yellowstone universe is continuing to expand – Paramount's upcoming series about legendary Wild West figure Bass Reeves is now set to be a spin-off of Yellowstone prequel 1883.
"Known as the greatest frontier hero in American history, and also believed to be the inspiration for The Lone Ranger, Reeves worked in the post-Reconstruction era as a federal peace officer in the Indian Territory, capturing over 3,000 of the most dangerous criminals without ever being wounded," reads the series' official synopsis.
David Oyelowo will play the titular character and the series, titled 1883: The Bass Reeves Story, is being produced by Yellowstone co-creator Taylor Sheridan.
The original Yellowstone series follows the Dutton family, the owners of the largest ranch in Montana known as 'the Yellowstone'. Their cattle ranch borders a Native American reservation, a national park, and land developers, and the series also deals with the conflicts that arise between these groups.
The series has been hugely popular since it was first released in 2018, with the season 4 finale becoming the most-watched cable telecast since the opening episode of The Walking Dead season 8.
Prequel series 1883 stars Sam Elliott, Tim McGraw, and Faith Hill. It premiered last year and has a second season on the way, while another prequel, 1932, starring Harrison Ford and Helen Mirren, and a present-day spin-off, 6666, are also in the works.
While we wait for 1883: The Bass Reeves Story to arrive on the small screen, fill out your watch list with our picks of the best TV shows of 2021.
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I’m an Entertainment Writer here at 12DOVE, covering everything film and TV-related across the Total Film and SFX sections. I help bring you all the latest news and also the occasional feature too. I’ve previously written for publications like HuffPost and i-D after getting my NCTJ Diploma in Multimedia Journalism.