Next chapter of ‘Yellowstone’ on ice as Hollywood actors join writers on the picket lines

First it was the writers — and now the actors who work on movies and television have gone on strike. So, what does that mean for the future of “Yellowstone”?

The Screen Actors Guild - American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) authorized the move on Thursday after talks between the union and Hollywood studios stalled. The last time actors went on strike was in 1980.

So, why are the actors on strike? To be paid equitably, they say. The entry of streaming services over the last decade has complicated matters. Actors are also getting a smaller piece of residuals, the cut artists get from the money projects make after its first run.

The actors join the Writer’s Guild of America who went on strike in early May on a a similar platform. This is the first time both the actor and writer’s union’s have been on strike since 1960, when Ronald Reagan was the actor’s union president.

Here’s what we know:

Is ‘Yellowstone’ season 5 production affected by the actors going on strike?

Not much, since the show is not currently in production.

Even before the writer’s strike, the future of “Yellowstone” was in limbo after word broke in February that the final episodes of season 5 could be the show’s last with Kevin Costner as John Dutton. Scheduling conflicts with Costner’s multi-part western movie epic “Horizon” precluding the star from continuing his role as patriarch of the Montana ranch family.

Paramount confirmed as much in early May, stating that the back half of “Yellowstone” season 5 will be the show’s last in its current form. A sequel show is in the works with series creator Taylor Sheridan.

Sheridan, who writes most of “Yellowstone,” put down his pen in support of the striking writers. The writer-director also said that the last few scripts of “Yellowstone” season 5 hadn’t been completed before the strike.

With uncompleted scripts and now zero union actors to bring the words to life, the back half of “Yellowstone” season 5 is in limbo until agreements are met with the writers and actors.

Will the strike stop production of ‘Yellowstone’ spinoff shows?

Nope, because no other “Yellowstone” project is filming at the moment.

The last “Yellowstone” spinoff show to film in Texas was “Lawmen: Bass Reeves,” which wrapped production in early June. The limited series, created by Taylor Sheridan, stars David Oyelowo as the titular real-life lawman who was the first black deputy U.S. marshal west of the Mississippi River.

Another “Yellowstone” spinoff is a second season of “1923.” Harrison Ford stars in the prequel show that was supposed to begin filming in June but was put on hold after the writer’s strike.

How will the strike affect movies and television as a whole?

Just as the writer’s strike halted many movies and shows that were filming, so will the actor’s strike.

SAG-AFTRA has over 160,000 members, with just about every actor in Hollywood in its membership. This means that now virtually anything being filmed with actors is now on hiatus as the artists head to the picket lines.