The Yellowstone universe is expanding, but not without growing pains. Marshals season 2 is already looking a little different — and not just because it’s returning after a brutal season 1 finale.

Deadline has confirmed that the Paramount+ spinoff is undergoing its first major cast changes, and the biggest shift is happening with Cal Dutton’s estranged daughter, Maddie. Morgan Lindholm’s role as the bartender from Bullet ‘N Barrel is being expanded significantly, giving her a much deeper presence as she continues exploring her complicated relationship with Miles (Tatanka Means).

Lindholm was introduced in season 1 as Cal’s estranged daughter, but season 2 promises to dig much deeper into her personal life, her family ties, and the emotional fallout of everything that happened on that remote mission. Fans have been waiting for this since the season 1 finale left Maddie and Cal on opposite sides of a dangerous standoff. With filming now underway in Park City, Utah, it looks like Maddie is getting the spotlight she was always meant to have.

The show is also introducing a fresh face in a recurring role: Marque Richardson as Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick Burns. The character is described as a federal prosecutor who brings legal pressure and courtroom tension to the elite marshals unit. This addition is seen as a major evolution for the series — moving away from pure street-level violence and cowboy grit toward federal investigations, high-stakes legal battles, and the kind of scrutiny that could threaten everything the team has built.

CBS has already released a first-look image for season 2, and it’s noticeably missing two key players from the season 1 finale. While Luke Grimes, Tatanka Means, Ash Santos, and Gil Birmingham appear prominently in the promo still, Cal (Logan Marshall-Green) and Belle (Arielle Kebbel) are absent. The image teases “All Hat No Cattle,” the season 2 premiere title, and leaves viewers wondering whether the two Duttons survived their season 1 cliffhanger.

In a recent interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Marshall-Green and Kebbel were asked directly about their status in season 2. Marshall-Green gave a carefully worded but reassuring answer.

“I can confirm [Cal] is alive, but not necessarily unscathed,” he said. “I think I can confirm that for everybody in the damn show, because everybody’s going through it by the end of this thing. I’m hours away of shooting season 2, episode 1. I can tell you that we’re all going through things — without giving anything away.”

Kebbel was even more direct. “I am a part of season 2, yes. We start filming season 2 with a pick-up of that moment. My head is so deep into season 2 already,” she said, referencing the explosive season 1 finale where Cal and Belle were ambushed by Tom Weaver (Chris Mulkey).

She also shared how she initially reacted to the script’s cliffhanger. “After reading that big cliffhanger, I should have asked myself if Belle survives! But the truth is that I’m so used to Belle being in precarious situations almost every episode. And even though both Belle and Cal are there, it felt in that moment that, because Cal is in front, he’s the one in more danger. I’m behind him, based on where we ended the episode. So when I read it, my head went to, ‘What’s going to happen to Cal?’”

Despite the uncertainty, Marshall-Green made it clear he has no intention of leaving the show. “I love employment! I love steady income, and I love more than anything this crew and this cast. I could easily see myself making this show for many years.”

He added that the storylines are getting juicier with the introduction of cancer and other serious subjects. “I don’t wanna sugarcoat it. I don’t want kid gloves on. I don’t want a safe approach. I want Cal to go through it, because I think that is the duty to these men and women who come back from uniform.”

He also spoke about the creative team, praising creator Spencer Hudnut and the writers while noting that Luke Grimes has been carrying the show for a long time. “I think I can speak for everybody when I say that we love coming to work… The first season was a grueling shoot.”

Marshals is streaming on Paramount+ and will return this fall on CBS. With filming already underway and the cast changing around the edges, one thing is clear: the Dutton legacy is evolving — and so is the Marshals universe. Whether Belle and Cal survive, whether Maddie’s relationship with Miles gets deeper, and whether Patrick Burns brings the legal heat the show needs remain to be seen.

But one thing is certain: Marshals season 2 is already looking very different from season 1 — and not every change has been quiet.