Going Southwest
Filming for Yellowstone prequel 1923 expands out from Austin
1923, starring Harrison Ford and Helen Mirren, will be shooting some scenes around San Antonio.
It may not feel like 1923 in Central Texas, but it'll look like it when filming starts for the acclaimed Yellowstone prequel, starring Harrison Ford and Helen Mirren. This fall, 1923 is using Austin as a home base for filming, and just announced that it will also be branching out to San Antonio.
City of San Antonio’s Department of Arts & Culture, MTV Entertainment Studios, 101 Studios, and other local groups are collaborating on securing locations the show's second season.
The Western drama, a Paramount+ original, has previously largely been set in Montana, but the plot includes other far-flung locations like Nairobi and Sicily. Season one filmed in Montana, Malta, and Africa; Season two is shifting the focus to Texas, using Austin as a home base for filming.
Organizers on the production side say San Antonio is an ideal location in part because of its proximity to Austin and richness of historical locations, but also because of the city's film-friendliness. A release mentions the city's "turnkey" policies designed to make it easy for filmmakers to get creative with less red tape.
Some of those services include providing guidance on permitting, providing location and government liaisons, helping to organize potential film incentives from the city, and more. It can even help with cast and crew calls, so San Antonians who would love to appear on screen should keep that in mind in case of any needs that may come up for the production as it progresses. (It wouldn't be the first time a Yellowstone spin-off has put out a call to Texans.)
“The fact that this project has selected San Antonio as a filming destination speaks highly of all that our vibrant and thriving city has to offer television and film projects,” said Department of Arts & Culture executive director Krystal Jones in the release. “San Antonio provides productions so many different looks and eras, lending itself well for any story to be told.”
Yellowstone is no stranger to Texas, starting with Cranfills Gap, the birthplace of the show's co-creator Taylor Sheridan. He was honored in 2023 with a Texas Medal of Arts, a highly esteemed award shared that year by Lindale's Miranda Lambert and Austin's Deborah Roberts, Juan Miró, and Miguel Rivera, among others. From a "cowboy black-tie" cast wedding to a star's bourbon brand hitting Texas shelves, there are plenty of real-life ties to the Lone Star State that accompany the show's online popularity.
More information about filmmaking in San Antonio is available at filmsanantonio.com; Similar resources in Austin are available at austintexas.gov. There is currently no official or estimated release date for season two of 1923, but the first season is streaming now on Paramount+.
