- Primary Subject: Paramount+'s Yellowstone spinoff Dutton Ranch season 2, its new showrunner Benjamin Cavell, and narrative expectations.
- Key Update: Following creator Chad Feehan's departure, SEAL Team creator Benjamin Cavell has been named the new showrunner for season 2.
- Status: Confirmed
- Last Verified: July 7, 2026
- Quick Answer: Benjamin Cavell replaces Chad Feehan as showrunner for season 2, where Beth and Rip will go on the offensive against cartel leader Mariano Reyes.
The dust has barely settled on the explosive first-season finale of Dutton Ranch, but big behind-the-scenes shakeups are already changing the landscape for Beth Dutton and Rip Wheeler's South Texas journey. Following season 1's successful debut, which became the biggest original series launch in Paramount+ history, the Yellowstone spinoff is charging ahead into season 2 with a brand-new leader at the helm.
Dutton Ranch's Kelly Reilly & Cole Hauser on Season 2's Showrunner Replacement
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Paramount has officially recruited SEAL Team creator Benjamin Cavell as the new executive producer and showrunner for Dutton Ranch season 2.
Cavell steps in to replace series creator Chad Feehan, who abruptly exited the project before the season 1 premiere amid heavily rumored creative tension with stars Kelly Reilly and Cole Hauser, as well as franchise mastermind Taylor Sheridan.
While a sudden leadership swap usually spells trouble for a young series, Reilly and Hauser are openly embracing the change.
In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Hauser began by sharing that he has "a dear friend" who previously collaborated with Cavell on SEAL Team, describing this friend as "somebody that I trust with my life" after having gone "to boot camp together" and spending "a lot of time in the jungle together in Louisiana."
This friend was the one who recommended Cavell to Hauser, and Hauser recalls having a "very good meeting" with them during the process to replace Feehan and expressed his anticipation to return for season 2: "I cannot wait for this new iteration of Ben and his team of guys that he hires along with David Glasser and the people who are involved, and to really sink our teeth into what this next show is going to be."
Hauser added that, despite being very early on in development, he is confident Kelly "is champing at the bit, and we'll get into it and have some fun."
"I think Taylor is going to be involved as far as some story ideas as well, which is great. So I feel excited about season 2, because I want it to be better. I want it to be great," Reilly chimed in, "I'm excited to get my hands dirty after a bit of time to digest what we've just done. I think time and thought are important."
What Fans Can Expect From Dutton Ranch Season 2
With Cavell steering the ship, Dutton Ranch season 2 is poised to hit the ground running on offense.
The first season left fans on a major cliffhanger after the villainous Mariano Reyes (Raoul Trujillo) kidnapped Beth and Rip's adopted son, Carter (Finn Little), dragging the couple deeper into a dangerous Mexican cartel drug war.
Hauser has teased that the kidnapping will immediately force Beth and Rip back on the offensive, setting a higher-stakes, more aggressive tone for the premiere.
Beyond the immediate rescue mission, Cavell's arrival opens the door to a much larger universe. Rumors are swirling that Paramount is fast-tracking a highly anticipated crossover event.
Fans might see Luke Grimes reprise his iconic role as Kayce Dutton from Yellowstone to cross paths with his sister Beth, potentially bridging his new project, Marshals, directly into the Dutton Ranch storyline.
While a formal premiere date remains to be determined by Paramount+, the message from the cast and crew is loud and clear for season 2: it is officially game on.
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