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Josh Brolin Addresses Accusations ‘Outer Range’ is ‘Piggybacking’ Off of ‘Yellowstone’

Despite what some may say or think, Josh Brolin isn’t going to entertain ideas that Outer Range is a copycat of Yellowstone. While the two shows are both in the “Western” genre, there isn’t a lot to compare. If you want to get really picky, you could, but what’s the point in that? Both are creatively distinct and with the superstar casts in both series, there’s no way you’re going to see plagiarism on the screen.

Just because a genre is popular, doesn’t mean that it all derives from one central show or film. However, creativity can be inspired by one piece of art and cause a ripple effect. Even Brolin won’t deny that, he’s been part of it in the past.

“‘Yellowstone’ was the first – like we were with ‘True Grit’ – in bringing back the Western, and that’s a great thing. If you piggyback on that trend, you feel like you are piggybacking,” he explained. “But if you are coming with something within the genre that’s wholly original, then you feel good about it. There’s nothing other than horses and cowboy hats and maybe warring families in ‘Outer Range’ that reminds me of ‘Yellowstone.’”

What Yellowstone has done for the genre is given a new breath and given new creative ideas for other projects. Some are going to feel more like ripoffs than others. But with Outer Range, it’s different. The aspect of the hole, the science fiction angle the series has taken, it’s all-new. Josh Brolin loves that about the series.

“I never want to do anything straightforward,” he told Variety. “I find it boring. This felt like a major swing and it had all the room to fail, and I like those odds.”

It doesn’t appear that it’s going to fail at this point.

Josh Brolin Grew Up on a Ranch and Loves Science Fiction

One thing that Josh Brolin doesn’t understand about Westerns at large, is the fact they avoid paranormal and other strange phenomena. Like aliens, for example. As a young boy growing up in California, Brolin was enthralled with the wide-open spaces, and with Ray Bradbury, a sci-fi author.

“I had read The Martian Chronicles when I was like 8 or something and then got into The Halloween Tree and I Sing the Body Electric!, The Illustrated Man and Fahrenheit 451,” he explained.

“It just blew everything open for me, because I was just this simple kid growing up on a ranch. And then suddenly was inundated with this perspective that was so beyond anything I could have imagined.”

With that impact early in his life, it’s no wonder why he was chomping at the bit in order to get on Outer Range. A story that is all its own.