đŹ Yellowstone: The Madison (2025)
Episode 1 Trailer & First Look â New Faces, New Power Struggles, Same Ruthless West
Taylor Sheridanâs Yellowstone universe is expanding once again â and this time, itâs heading north. The long-rumored spin-off, The Madison, has officially dropped its Episode 1 trailer, offering a dark, powerful glimpse into a new frontier where family, land, and survival collide.
đ What Is The Madison?
Set in Madison County, Montana, this new chapter shifts away from the Dutton Ranch but keeps the same brutal energy and themes of legacy, loyalty, and land ownership.
The series follows the Hawkins family, led by sharp, calculating Grace Hawkins, a ranch matriarch trying to protect her family’s land from modern encroachment and generational betrayal â all while navigating a deadly secret buried beneath their soil.
đĽ Trailer Breakdown: Episode 1 â âBlood in the Riverâ
Opening Scene:
A cold sunrise. Snow-dusted plains. A young girl â Riley Hawkins â stands at the edge of a frozen river, holding a rifle. A voiceover from Grace warns:
Grace Hawkins (calm but steely):
âIf you want to keep this land, youâll have to bleed for it.â
Key Moments in the Trailer:
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Grace (played by a powerhouse actress, rumored to be Hilary Swank) seated in a courtroom, silently judging a corrupt land developer.
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A barn fire, with a shadowy figure watching from the woods.
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Deputy Sheriff Cole Briggs, a former Yellowstone livestock agent, discovers a buried oil pipeline under the Hawkins property â unmarked and likely illegal.
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Tension rises between Grace and her estranged brother Ethan, who returns to Madison with a corporate offer… and a hidden agenda.
Ethan Hawkins (to Grace):
âI didnât come back to take the ranch. I came to burn it down.â
𧨠Themes & Tone
The Madison leans even more into dark politics, family betrayal, and environmental corruption. The tone is gritty, rural noir, with sweeping cinematography and intimate character conflict.
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Think Yellowstone meets True Detective: Montana Edition.
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Fewer cattle â more courtrooms, conspiracies, and rifles hidden in chapel basements.
đ´ Yellowstone Connections
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John Duttonâs name is mentioned in passing, as Grace references âwhat the Duttons built and what they buried.â
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Teeter appears briefly in the trailer â rumored to be working nearby as a ranch consultant.
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The Livestock Commission still looms large â and Deputy Briggsâ badge suggests some old alliances (or rivalries) may return.
đş First Episode Title: “Blood in the River”
The premiere sets up the central conflict:
A legal land battle with deadly consequences, a body found frozen beneath a bridge, and a family reunion that may tear the Hawkins legacy apart before it even begins.
đ First Look Photos (from the trailer)
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Grace Hawkins in all black, standing on a frozen porch, shotgun resting against the door.
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Riley Hawkins riding alone into town, flanked by oil rigs and survey flags.
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A mysterious stranger (possible government agent) stepping out of a black SUV with the line:
âYouâve got something under your ranch, Ms. Hawkins. Something that doesnât belong to you.â
đď¸ Release Details
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Premiere Date: Fall 2025
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Platform: Paramount+
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Episodes: 8 episodes (Season 1)
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Genre: Neo-Western, Family Drama, Legal Thriller
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Created by: Taylor Sheridan
đ Final Tease:
New county. New queen. Same rules: protect the land, or lose everything.
âThe Madisonâ premieres Fall 2025.