Actor Neal McDonough has suggested that hisYellowstonevillain character isn’t actually dead, and that he should return for the spinoff. Appearing inYellowstoneseason 2, McDonough played Malcolm Beck, one ofthe Dutton family’s most formidable foes. But though Malcolm was a force, he met his (seeming) bitter end when John Dutton shot him and left him to die in a field.
While Malcolm’s fate looked to be sealed, McDonough has different ideas about what happened to hisYellowstonecharacter, which he revealed toCollider.McDonough was confident in his assertion that Malcolm Beck survived his gunshot wound, saying, “No one actually saw him die.”
The actor then went on to express hope that he could reprise his role as Malcolm in Taylor Sheridan’sYellowstonespinoff centered around Beth and Rip. McDonough revealed thatRip actor Cole Hauser is one of his “dearest pals,” and thathe would relish the chance for Malcolm to go “toe to toe” with him. Read McDonough’s full comment below:
“Yes, Malcolm Beck is not dead. No one saw him actually die in the field. I would love to see him come back and cause havoc with Rip because Cole Hauser was one of my dearest pals, and there’s nothing I would love more than to go toe to toe with Cole on the show. So, I’m open for that one. Everyone’s got to write in to Taylor saying, ‘Bring Malcolm Beck back!'”
What Malcolm Beck Being Alive Could Mean For The Yellowstone Spinoff
Yellowstone Producer David Glasser Keeps Hiring McDonough, So It Could Happen
Based on McDonough’s rallying cry for fans to write to Taylor Sheridan, it’s clear that the actor isn’t personal friends with theYellowstoneco-creator, and he admitted as much — “I had one five-minute conversation with him once.” But McDonoughstill has a connection to Sheridan that could see Malcolm brought back.
Sheridan’sYellowstoneproducer, David Glasser, apparently admires McDonough’s work, as he personally requested that McDonough appear in his son’s short film,The Writer. McDonough obliged, and when he went to Texas for shooting,his wife, Ruvé McDonough, took the opportunity to bend the producer’s ear about a Malcolm reappearance.
As Neal McDonough tells it, it was through this exchange that got him cast inTulsa King, another Sheridan show. So, with Glasser casting him in three projects,it’s entirely possible that he’ll heed the McDonoughs’ callfor Malcolm to be inBeth and Rip’sYellowstonespinoff.
In terms of the plausibility of Malcolm’s being alive, anything is possible in theYellowstoneuniverse. Though the franchise may depict authentic ranching life, John Dutton actorKevin Costner himself saidYellowstoneis a soap opera— and that’s a total compliment. It also means a Malcolm reappearance could be the first big twist in theYellowstonespinoff.
Our Take On Malcolm Beck Going Up Against Cole Hauser’s Rip
Neal McDonough Played Yellowstone’s Best Villain — Bring Him Back
Malcolm Beck wasn’t just the most brutal antagonist inYellowstone— he’s thebest villain in any Taylor Sheridan show, period. He and his brother Teal werebehind the kidnapping of Kayce and Monica’s son, Tate, and the brutal attack on Beth in one ofYellowstone’s darkest moments.
This means that, should Malcolm be alive, Beth and Rip would have an intensely personal vendetta against him, whichcould make McDonough’s wish of facing off against Hauser’s character intensely gripping television. In their own ways, Malcolm and Rip are incredibly violent people, and a feud between them could be the best inYellowstonehistory.
Yellowstone
Cast
Yellowstone follows the Dutton family, led by patriarch John Dutton, as they defend their expansive ranch against external threats from land developers, an Indian reservation, and America’s first national park. Released on July 22, 2025, this series examines the complex dynamics and violent conflicts surrounding the largest contiguous ranch in the United States.
Neal McDonough
Discover the latest news and filmography for Neal McDonough, known for Band of Brothers and Yellowstone.
