Trailer hints Kurt Russell may die in Taylor Sheridan's The Madison

Taylor Sheridan's new neo-Western The Madison — set in Montana's Madison River valley — teases a major twist: the series' new trailer suggests Kurt Russell's Preston Clyburn may already be dead or die in episode one, Collider reports. The show is set to premiere on Paramount+ on March 14, 2026.

The 30-second trailer centers on Michelle Pfeiffer's Stacy Clyburn grieving a newfound loss, juxtaposing images of her kissing Russell with shots of him fishing the Madison River and framing the series as an exploration of grief, the article says. Collider notes Sheridan has used early character deaths before — Yellowstone killed Lee Dutton in episode one, and similar twists occurred on Mayor of Kingstown and Landman — leading to speculation Russell could be the next 'episode one execution.' The piece also points out that IMDb lists episode counts for other principal cast members but not for Russell.

The article allows for other possibilities: Russell might appear as a ghost or in recurring flashbacks, narrative devices Sheridan has used. With two seasons already filmed, Collider says whatever Russell shot for The Madison may be all his on-screen time unless reshoots occur. The Madison is not part of the Yellowstone universe, director Christina Alexandra Voros told Variety, and was envisioned as a different story.

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