Neal McDonough Hints At His Villain Potentially Returning To Yellowstone 

Yellowstone is a 2018 Paramount drama series created by Taylor Sheridan and John Linson.  

Among the series’ stars are Kevin Costner, Luke Grimes, Wes Bentley, Kelly Reilly, Cole Hauser, and Gil Birmingham. 

This series focuses on the conflicts along the borders of a large cattle ranch, an Indian reservation, and land developers.  

Season 5 of the series is set to premiere on November 13, 2022. 

Neal McDonough, the actor who played Yellowstone’s villain in season 2, teases a possible return for the character. 

Yellowstone Season 2 featured McDonough as Malcolm Beck, an unscrupulous local businessman who was disgruntled by Thomas Rainwater’s ambitions and decided to go too far when John Dutton (Kevin Costner) refused to interfere with Rainwater’s plan to build a casino in the area. A confrontation occurs when Beck kidnaps Kayce Dutton’s son and tries to rape and murder Beth Dutton after he goes after the Dutton family.  

The Yellowstone season 2 finale ends with John Dutton severely wounding Beck, which seemed to kill him, but it’s widely speculated that he may have survived. 

McDonough comments on those speculations in an interview with TV Line, commenting that Beck might not have been killed as viewers first imagined. Yellowstone season 2 ended with the apparent death of McDonough’s character “sending shockwaves” but the actor noted that it’s likely that the character is alive and well. 

Here’s what the actor had to say about Beck’s death:  

Did I die? Did I? I’m not so sure about that. We have talked about the fact we didn’t actually see Malcolm Beck’s eyes close. There is always that possibility. My brother won’t be coming back for sure, but there is a possibility. 

Neal McDonough

Teal Beck (Terry Serpico), Beck’s brother, was murdered by Kayce Dutton, so his fate was not in question, though Beck left a much ambiguous impression in his final scene. 

The villains of Yellowstone have rotated repeatedly from season to season, including McDonough’s Beck. The other main villains include Danny Huston, Josh Holloway, and Wes Bentley (as a Dutton, he is a back-and-forth villain). McDonough has not been added to the new cast of Yellowstone season 5, which is currently in production.  

If Taylor Sheridan really does intend on bringing Beck back, then he could be keeping his plans to bring him back under wraps. 

McDonough’s villainous Beck was a particularly nasty and conniving villain, which made for some great drama. The dynamic between him and the Duttons was enhanced by his methods and attitude, in turn creating a great television show.  

For Yellowstone, where far more deaths are seen than resurrections, having Beck return would be the first. 

Although it is unclear if the character would return, one thing is for sure: If Beck happens to return, the Duttons will certainly have a lot on their hands to deal with. 

About Yellowstone

Yellowstone is an American neo-western drama created by Taylor Sheridan and John Linson that premiered on Paramount Network.

The series follows the Dutton family, owners of the largest ranch in the United States. The plot revolves around family drama and the bordering Native reservations and national parks.

The series stars Kevin Costner, Wes Bentley, Kelly Reilly, Luke Grimes, Cole Hauser, and Gil Birmingham.

Source: Paramount