With each episode taking viewers on an adventure through brave heroes, rugged outlaws, and authentic Western scenes, it’s no wonder one of the show’s most popular questions is: Where is Yellowstone 1923 TV show filmed?
The hit Paramount Network drama 1923 has captured the world’s attention with its gripping storylines, breathtaking landscapes, and stunning visuals.
Read below to get the answer to numerous locations on different continents.
What Is 1923 About?
Dubbed as Yellowstone origin story, 1923 is the prequel to Yellowstone and sequel to 1883.
The Western series explores the cradle of the Dutton family, focusing on the lives of Jacob Dutton (Harrison Ford) and Cara Dutton (Helen Mirren).
The show delves into the early 20th century when the Duttons are facing pandemics, historic droughts, the end of Prohibition, and the Great Depression in the mountain west.
Locations
Montana
Montana serves as a backdrop for many scenes in the series, with several cities and towns across the state making an appearance.
Darby Montana
In Montana, many of the show’s scenes filming are on a private ranch, Chief Joseph Ranch. The ranch is located in Darby, Montana, and comprises over 11,000 acres.
In addition, the ranch is around stunning views of the Bitter Root Valley, where viewers can find the Dutton family home – the center of much of the action.
Butte Montana
Most of the 1923 shooting was in Butte, Montana, a scenic, historic town located approximately 2-3 hours from Darby, Montana.
The production team took over the town, altering buildings and streets to match the show’s period. This alteration made a more dramatic look for the already charming town, adding a rustic, early-20th-century feel.
Butte town has a rich history and looking at the architecture, you will see why. In addition, the town has a past due to its old coal and copper mines.
The show used the town’s beautiful streets and buildings to create a perfect 1920s setting, with a bit of alteration to appear more simple and period-appropriate.
Filming was on the town’s streets, which include Hamilton, Quartz, Alaska, and other streets.
The show even rented out a couple of spaces, i.e., the Civic Center in Butte. Located at 1340 Harrison Avenue, the center is a large multipurpose arena where they built many sets for the show.
In addition, the show utilized KMBF Radio Station. It was transforming the interior to fit in with the exact vision of the show.
While most of these locations only played a small role in the series, they still go on to show the town’s incredible charm through its architecture.
Other locations include
Although most of the show filming was in Butte, Montana, a 2-3 hour drive from Darby, Montana, where the ranch scenes for Yellowstone were shot, other towns in the state also appear in the show.
Other places for 1923 filming include Pony, Anaconda, Whitehall, Dillon, Hamilton, Valier, Deer Lodge, Park City, and Butte.
Africa
In Africa, three different countries were involved. They are Kenya, Tanzania, and South Africa. When we first meet Spencer, he’s a big game hunter in Namibia.
While the shots weren’t of him in Namibia, he was close to Tanzania and South Africa. The beautiful savannahs and deserts provide the perfect backdrop for maneuvering horses and cattle.
The Umgeni Steam Railway, a steam locomotive preservation society in Zulu land South Africa, was used as the filming location for the train station in Nairobi, Kenya.
Kearsney Manor, a grand old English colonial estate located 50 miles northeast of Durban, South Africa, was a stand-in for the Stanley Hotel. The property was built in the late 1800s and is a popular location for weddings.
In addition, they used Serengeti National Park in northern Tanzania to film some scenes and establish shots set in the African Savanna.
What About The Rest Of The Locations
As of now, there have yet to be any new locations in the show, which could mean that the show’s storyline goes several different ways.
Still, thankfully the answers will come soon enough, especially with the introduction of Alexandra, an aristocrat who we meet through Spencer.
Are The Animals In 1923 Real Or CGI?
As Spencer chooses to spend his time in Africa escaping his memories from the war, he finds himself in Kenya, fighting off a couple of lions and leopards, which begs the question are the animals in the scenes real or CGI?
With such incredible stunts and visual effects from the scenes, the animals aren’t real. While the horses and cattle depicted on the show are real, having a wild animal near the actor would be a safety hazard.
Although in an episode of Yellowstone, we see Beth yelling at a pack of wolves. The wolves were real and not CGI.
However, they were at a considerable distance and had tripwires to stop them from getting too close if they decided to charge.
How Much Was The Filming Budget For The Series?
When it comes to a TV show like 1923, one thing is for sure. The budget was high.
While looking at the incredible landscapes that act as side characters, it’s evident that the production was costly.
Filming on three different countries on the African continent, with a cast full of heavyweights, makes the budget unlike anything.
In an interview with Deadline, Taylor Sheridan, the showrunner, revealed that each episode of 1923 cost anywhere between $30 and $35 million.
According to Sheridan, “1883” had one of the highest budgets for a first season of a TV show ever.
The budget for “1923” was even higher, and it’s difficult to imagine that other shows, such as “Game of Thrones,” had a bigger budget.
The show features real animals, such as six thousand sheep and three thousand cattle, and it also takes place in Africa, which poses a challenge for filming with COVID-19 restrictions and politics.
While the budget is akin to that of a small-budget movie, Paramount didn’t object to his requests.
Thanks to the incredible success of the Yellowstone Universe and the possibility of its expansion into something extraordinary.
When added together, the amount of money that has gone and will continue to go into the show is incredible.
This amount almost rivaled the Budget for Lord Of The Rings: Rings of Power estimated to be $715 million.
Why Did Sheridan Choose These Specific Places?
Taylor Sheridan chooses filming locations to immerse viewers in the story, which becomes an arduous process, especially with an experienced audience that’s seen a lot of things.
When it came to 1923, the crew set out. It took over various locations, such as the Butte Civic Center, Silver House, Piccadilly Museum of Transportation, and Broadway Street, which were transformed into storefronts.
Honest Jim’s Pawnshop to match the period setting of the drama.
In addition, the show’s production team excels at creating incredible visuals in the editing room.
Whether adding CGI elements or splicing together footage from different locations, they ensure each episode has a unique look and feel.
While the setting of Yellowstone’s outdoor scenes is often in the real world with a few altercations, the show’s production team does an incredible job.
Do The Duttons Live In The Same House As The Modern-Day Duttons?
From the trailer, we see the ranch that James (Tim McGraw in “1883”) began building 40 years ago when he and his wife Margaret (Faith Hill in “1883”) opted to settle in Montana.
This settling happens after the death of their daughter Elsa (played by Isabel May in “1883”).
We see the outside of Dutton’s log mansion, which matches the building used for John’s home in “Yellowstone. “Because of this, the Duttons have lived on the same property since the early 20th century.
However, they haven’t rebuilt it yet. The actual log cabin, which doubles as the Dutton house, the Chief Joseph Ranch in Darby, Montana, was built in 1914, which supports this idea. It’s interesting to see how we can be taken back in time.
Where Can I Watch The Show?
All episodes of 1923 are available to stream on Paramount+ and also aired on Paramount Network.
The first episode’s premiere was on Sunday, December 18, 2022, at 9:09 p.m. Eastern Time. Similar to “Yellowstone” and “1883,” it will be streaming on Paramount+.
Conclusion
From the vast landscapes of Montana and Africa to the bustling city streets of Malta, 1923 transports viewers worldwide with each exciting episode.
Whether you’re an avid fan or just starting, it’s worth taking a few moments to appreciate all the work that goes into making this western drama come alive.
Next time you tune in, remember that filming many different continents were used as filming locations for this incredible show—it may even be right in your backyard.
