Static Media
The Broken Rock Reservation is woven through all five seasons of Yellowstone. Led by Thomas Rainwater (Gil Birmingham), the fictional Native American community frequently clashes with John Dutton (Kevin Costner) and his family before their relationship gradually shifts, ultimately leading to an uplifting resolution. The reservation also appears in the Yellowstone spin-off Marshals, but fans cannot visit Broken Rock in the real world.
That is because Broken Rock was created specifically for Yellowstone, although its portrayal draws inspiration from Montana’s Crow Indian Reservation. Production filmed the reservation scenes there, and collaboration with the Crow Indian Reservation tribe helped shape how the series presented its Native American stories and characters.
“At first, we assumed it was going to be a cowboy/Indian typical back-in-the-1800s type, so we were skeptical of [letting them use the reservation],” former Crow Tribe chair AJ Not Afraid told Variety. “But we said we would allow it as long as we had the chance to portray some of the Native facts, and they were all for it.”
Taylor Sheridan has emphasized the importance of Native American history to Yellowstone, though the show’s approach has drawn mixed reactions. Some critics believe its depiction relies on a white-savior perspective. Native characters also remain supporting figures for much of the franchise, a limitation Gil Birmingham hopes could change by placing them more prominently at the heart of the story.
Gil Birmingham believes the Yellowstone franchise could do more with the Broken Rock Reservation
Paramount Network
At the time of this writing, Taylor Sheridan’s Yellowstone universe includes five shows: Yellowstone, 1883, 1923, Marshals, and Dutton Ranch. With Paramount continuing to expand the franchise, there is plenty of room for additional stories. Birmingham has even suggested that the Broken Rock Reservation could support an entire series of its own.
“I would love it [a Broken Rock spin-off],” Birmingham told Collider. “In all these interviews, Mo [Brings Plenty] and I have shared this throughout all the seasons, we’ve always been so thankful that we had each other to support each other … There’s a huge responsibility we both feel in terms of a realistic and authentic and honest portrayal.”
Birmingham has also imagined what such a spin-off might explore. After the Yellowstone finale, Kayce Dutton (Luke Grimes) gives his family’s land to the tribe, and Rainwater could use it to build homes, schools, and hospitals. Yet land ownership has always fueled conflict in this universe. If Broken Rock received its own series, Rainwater and his community would likely face powerful new threats—much as they do in Marshals.
