Cole Hauser Shares How He Truly Feels About The New Showrunner For “Dutton Ranch”
on Jul 31, 2026
Production on Season 2 of Dutton Ranch isn’t slated to start until next year, but the cast and crew are still making major moves, including hiring a new showrunner. Cole Hauser, the actor who plays Rip Wheeler, recently shared his thoughts about the new addition to their crew.
If you recall, three weeks before Season 1 of Dutton Ranch premiered, it was confirmed that showrunner Chad Feehan had left the series. Puck reported that Hauser, his co-star Kelly Reilly, executive producer Taylor Sheridan, and 101 Studios boss David Glasser were allegedly “unsatisfied with Feehan’s handling of the production upon completion of the first season.”
Dutton Ranch finally named a new showrunner in July, announcing that Benjamin Cavell will take the helm. Cavell previously worked on SEAL Team, The Institute, The Stand, and Homeland.
RELATED: BEYOND THE RANCH – MEET THE “DUTTON RANCH” STARS’ REAL-LIFE SPOUSES
Cole Hauser, who also serves as an executive producer on Dutton Ranch, revealed his true feelings about Cavell’s hiring during a recent conversation with PEOPLE.
Calling Cavell “wonderful,” Hauser said:
“I’ve been talking to him. He’s a very special guy, and I think the future is bright—not only for myself, but Beth [played by Kelly Reilly] and Carter [played by Finn Little] and the show in general.”
He continued to say, “I think this is going to be a really nice next step.”
Hauser previously spoke about Cavell’s hiring during an extensive interview with The Hollywood Reporter. He has a friend who worked with Cavell on SEAL Team for multiple seasons, and he recommended him for Dutton Ranch.
“So it was his recommendation of Ben, and the way creatively that Ben is and the kind of person he is and how his mind works, and we saw a glimpse of it. We had a very good meeting with him, and I cannot wait for this new iteration of Ben and his team of guys that he hires…” Hauser said.
Cole Hauser Previously Opened Up About The “Challenges” They Faced On Dutton Ranch
The showrunner switch-up was one of a few “challenges” the cast and crew of Dutton Ranch faced behind the scenes. Additionally, Taylor Sheridan, who wrote Dutton Ranch‘s predecessor, Yellowstone, didn’t help with writing Season 1 of the new spin-off.
“Not having Taylor there, for us to really kind of be able to work with these new writers, these new directors, these people… Everything had changed,” Cole Hauser told Film Inside NYC.
However, it sounds like Sheridan will be more involved in the second season. Kelly Reilly told The Hollywood Reporter she’s under the impression he will help craft some storylines.
Cole Hauser and Kelly Reilly have also been advocating for their co-star, Ed Harris, who said he felt “misled” about his character’s significance in the series. Harris is still set to star in the next season, with Hauser telling TV Insider that his character will “become a very important, integral part of Season 2.”
Stay tuned for future updates on Season 2 of Dutton Ranch. In the meantime, catch a recap of the first season in the video below
