Pratik Handore
Paramount+’s Western drama series ‘1923’ is a spin-off prequel to ‘Yellowstone‘ that revolves around the Duttons, a family of ranchers from Montana who fight hard to protect their ancestral ranch. However, ‘1923’ tells the origin story of the Duttons and their struggles in a different era. In the present day, John Dutton (Kevin Costner) is the family’s current patriarch and struggles to protect the Yellowstone Dutton Ranch. Given the character’s importance to the overall lore of the Dutton family, viewers must be wondering if Costner’s John Dutton appears in ‘1923.’ If you wish to find out more in that regard, here is everything you need to know! SPOILERS AHEAD!
Kevin Costner’s Role in Yellowstone
In ‘Yellowstone,’ John Dutton is the patriarch of the Dutton family in the present day. Actor Kevin Costner essays the role in the series, and his character is retroactively known as John Dutton III. John Dutton is the son of John Duton Jr (Dabney Coleman). He has four children, Lee, Kayce, Beth, and his adopted son, Jamie Dutton. However, Lee dies in the series premiere episode. John’s family tree is detailed through the prequel shows ‘1883‘ and ‘1923.’
James Dutton is John’s great-grandfather, while Jacob Dutton (Harrison Ford), the protagonist of ‘1923’ is the great grand-uncle of Costner’s John Dutton. However, given that Costner’s ‘Yellowstone’ and Ford’s ‘1923’ are nearly a century apart from each other, it is not surprising that Kevin Costner’s John Dutton does not appear in the prequel series. Moreover, with the two shows taking place in different time periods, the characters are unlikely to crossover.
The Dutton Legacy: A History of the Name John
While Costner’s John Dutton is absent from the prequel series, a character named John Dutton is present in the show. “John” is a common first name in the Dutton family and holds a lot of history and legacy. Costner’s John Dutton is the third person to have the name in the family. On the other hand, his father, John Dutton Jr, aka John Dutton II, is the second person in the family tree to have the name. Lastly, a fourth “John Dutton” is born in the fifth season premiere of ‘Yellowstone,’ but dies shortly after birth. John Dutton IV is the son of Kayce Dutton and his wife, Monica.
However, John Dutton, who appears in ‘1923’ is the OG, the very first person in the long Dutton family line to hold the name. The character is the son of James Dutton, the first patriarch of the Dutton family. John appears as a child in the first prequel ‘1883,’ and actor Audie Rick plays this version of the character. An older, teenage version of the character appears in the fourth season of ‘Yelllwostone.’ Actor Jack Michael Doke appears as the teenage John Dutton I in the flashback sequences. Lastly, actor James Badge Dale portrays an adult version of the character in ‘1923.’ Dale is known for his performances as Chase Edmunds in the action series ’24,’ and Robert Leckie in the war drama show ‘The Pacific.’ Ultimately, Costner’s character does not appear in ‘1923,’ but the presence of John Dutton is felt through Dale’s character, John Dutton I.
Read More: How Is 1923’s Jacob Dutton Related To John Dutton, Explained
