Why is Yellowstone not available to watch on Paramount+? Streaming details explored

Few shows have dominated modern television quite like Taylor Sheridan's Yellowstone. With its sweeping Montana landscapes, gripping family saga, and powerhouse performances led by Kevin Costner, it has become the crown jewel of contemporary Western drama.

Naturally, fans expect the Paramount Network series to be available on its streaming platform, Paramount+. Yet, to the surprise of many and the frustration of new viewers, Yellowstone remains notably absent from the service. Instead, the hit series continues to stream exclusively on a completely different platform, leaving audiences confused about how a flagship title for Paramount isn’t actually accessible on Paramount+.

Even while the flagship series continued to air weekly episodes on Paramount Network from 2018 to 2024, it did not stream on Paramount+. This situation stems from a licensing deal between Paramount Network and Peacock, even before Paramount+ was launched.

Here are all the streaming details for Sheridan's flagship series.

Peacock owns the streaming rights to Yellowstone

Confused viewers who wonder why Yellowstone is not streaming on Paramount+, you are not alone. This shift traces back to 2020, when Paramount Network signed an exclusive streaming deal with Peacock, setting the stage for everything that followed. This deal was even before CBS All Access (which was eventually rebranded to Paramount+) had officially launched in 2021.

Since Paramount Network likely sought a streaming platform for Sheridan's hit series, they pitched the project to Peacock, and the Golden title was finally added to the streaming library owned by NBCUniversal.

To stream all five seasons of Yellowstone, fans can buy a Peacock subscription that costs $10.99/month or $109.99/year for Premium (with ads) and $16.99/month or $169.99/year for Premium Plus (mostly ad-free). Additionally, individual episodes or seasons can be purchased on Amazon Prime Video.

Taylor Sheridan signed an exclusive deal with NBCUniversal

It's almost poetic how Peacock holds the exclusive streaming rights to Taylor Sheridan's passion project, and the creator recently signed an exclusive deal with NBCUniversal. The Western drama creator made headlines after his shocking departure from Paramount Global, as he was unhappy with its recent merger with Skydance, which created many creative differences between Sheridan and the network.

While Sheridan's departure was shocking, fans were worried about the fate of the Yellowstone universe on Paramount+ after its creator's move to NBCUniversal. However, since Paramount Global still holds the exclusive streaming rights to the Sheridan-verse, including Tulsa King and Landman, they will continue on the network even after the creator's exit. While the upcoming shows like Y: Marshals, Dutton Ranch and The Madison might see some creative differences after Sheridan's exit, they will still be official properties of Paramount Global.

However, with Taylor Sheridan's recent move to NBCUniversal, he has finally joined the network, which owns the exclusive streaming rights to his hit Western project.

Yellowstone spin-offs are still streaming on Paramount+

While fans will not be able to enjoy the flagship series until a new deal is locked, they can still stream many Dutton spin-offs on Paramount+, namely 1883 and 1923.

1883 is the first prequel spin-off of the flagship series, starring Sam Elliott, Faith Hill & Tim McGraw. The Western drama is set in post–Civil War, when an early Dutton generation leaves Tennessee to join a wagon train on an arduous journey to Montana, before establishing the eventual Yellowstone ranch.

1923 is a direct sequel to 1883 and the second prequel series of the flagship show, starring Helen Mirren, Harrison Ford & Brandon Sklenar. The drama series follows the next generation in the titular year as they struggle to save the ranch during the Prohibition and the early stages of the Great Depression.

Unlike Yellowstone, both 1923 and 1883 are available to stream on Paramount+.

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