🚨 HOLY COWBOYS: The Blood Aces trailer and FIRST LOOK just exploded online and it’s DARKER, GRITTIER, and more BADASS than anything in the Yellowstone universe yet! 😱🔥
Cole Hauser channeling pure Rip Wheeler energy as the legendary Texas gangster Benny Binion — ruthless, larger-than-life, building Vegas poker from blood and bullets. Sylvester Stallone executive producing this high-stakes power play, with whispers of his Tulsa King vibe bleeding into the neon-lit underworld. Guns, high-roller tables, betrayal in every hand dealt, and a frontier where loyalty gets you killed faster than a bad bluff!
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The Yellowstone franchise, created by Taylor Sheridan, has become one of television’s most dominant forces since its 2018 premiere on Paramount Network. Centered on the Dutton family and their sprawling Montana ranch, the series explores themes of land, power, family loyalty, and the clash between tradition and modernity in the American West. With massive viewership—often topping cable ratings—and a dedicated fanbase, the show has spawned multiple spin-offs, including 1883, 1923, 6666, and upcoming projects like The Madison and a Dutton-focused sequel.
Now, a new series titled Blood Aces is entering the conversation, though it diverges from the traditional Dutton ranch narrative. Announced in early February 2026, Blood Aces is in development at MGM Television as an adaptation of Doug J. Swanson’s 2014 nonfiction book Blood Aces: The Wild Ride of Benny Binion, the Texas Gangster Who Created Vegas Poker. The project brings together Yellowstone star Cole Hauser and Tulsa King actor/producer Sylvester Stallone in a high-profile collaboration that blends Western grit with Las Vegas intrigue.
Hauser, best known for portraying the fiercely loyal ranch hand Rip Wheeler in Yellowstone, will star as Benny Binion, the real-life figure at the center of the story. Binion was a colorful, controversial character: a cowboy-turned-gambler, casino operator, and alleged gangster who rose from humble Texas roots to become a pivotal force in modern Las Vegas. In the mid-20th century, he relocated to Nevada, where he helped popularize high-stakes poker and founded the World Series of Poker in 1970—an event that transformed gambling into a televised spectacle. Binion’s life was marked by violence, legal battles, and larger-than-life exploits, including alleged ties to organized crime and a reputation for ruthlessness.
Stallone, currently starring in Paramount+’s Tulsa King (a Sheridan-produced series about a mobster rebuilding in Oklahoma), serves as an executive producer through his Balboa Productions company. Hauser produces via his American Outlaw Entertainment banner, alongside other partners. While Stallone’s on-screen involvement has not been confirmed, his participation adds star power and aligns with the project’s gritty, character-driven tone.
Recent promotional materials, including a first-look trailer and images circulating online in early February 2026, have generated significant buzz. The footage reportedly emphasizes a darker, more aggressive aesthetic than traditional Yellowstone entries—lean visuals of dusty Texas landscapes giving way to neon-drenched Vegas nights, intense confrontations, and high-tension poker scenes. Descriptions highlight explosive action, betrayal, and a world where power is seized through cunning and force rather than inherited land. Fans have noted the trailer’s “high-octane” energy and “darker frontier tone,” positioning Blood Aces as a bold evolution of the neo-Western genre Sheridan has popularized.
Unlike direct Yellowstone spin-offs tied to the Dutton lineage, Blood Aces stands as a separate but spiritually linked project. It shares the franchise’s fascination with American frontier mythology—rugged individualism, moral ambiguity, and the cost of ambition—but shifts the setting from Montana ranches to the high-stakes gambling world of mid-century Las Vegas. This pivot allows exploration of different historical and cultural terrain while maintaining the Sheridan-verse hallmarks: complex anti-heroes, family dynamics under pressure, and visceral conflict.
Production status remains in early stages as of February 2026. No official premiere date or platform has been announced, though MGM Television’s involvement suggests potential distribution through streaming services or premium cable. Given Hauser’s commitments—including his role in an upcoming Yellowstone sequel spin-off focused on the Dutton Ranch for Paramount+—development may proceed deliberately. Sources indicate a possible 2027 release window to allow for scripting, casting, and filming.
The casting of Hauser as Binion leverages his proven ability to portray tough, principled men with hidden depths. Rip Wheeler’s no-nonsense loyalty and capacity for violence make him a natural fit for Binion, whose biography includes tales of shootouts, prison time, and unyielding determination. Additional casting details have not been released, but the project’s prestige nature points to a strong ensemble supporting Hauser’s lead performance.
Fan reactions to the first-look materials have been enthusiastic, with many praising the shift to a Vegas-centric story as a refreshing expansion of the universe. Social media discussions highlight excitement over the Hauser-Stallone pairing, drawing comparisons to crossovers between Yellowstone and Tulsa King. Some speculate on potential cameos or thematic ties, while others appreciate the focus on a real historical figure whose life embodies the same raw ambition seen in the Duttons.
Blood Aces arrives at a time when the Yellowstone franchise continues to thrive despite challenges. The original series concluded its run, but spin-offs keep the momentum alive, attracting viewers with their blend of drama, action, and commentary on contemporary issues through a Western lens. This new entry promises to deliver similar intensity in a fresh context, exploring how one man’s vision reshaped an entire industry amid corruption, competition, and cultural shifts.
As trailers and updates continue to roll out, anticipation builds for what could become another flagship series in the expanding Sheridan ecosystem. Whether Blood Aces fully integrates into the Yellowstone canon or carves its own path, it represents the enduring appeal of stories about power, legacy, and the American dream’s darker edges. For fans hungry for more frontier drama, this looks like a high-stakes bet worth watching.
