Ranch

The Warner Bros. Ranch in Burbank will serve as broadcast headquarters during the Los Angeles Olympics and Paralympic Games in two years.

LA28 and Warner Bros. Discovery on Thursday jointly announced that the 30-acre Hollywood Way campus would play a pivotal role in the Games. Constructing an efficient TV nerve center — the operational hub where feeds from events are produced, then distributed to hundreds of millions of viewers around the world — has long been a crucial component to staging such an ambitious television extravaganza.

Over the last few months, LA28 executives and the Olympic Broadcasting Services team narrowed their search to the Ranch. The facility, which recently underwent a $300 million transformation with new soundstages, has the capacity and technical requirements to support the international broadcast center.

The International Olympics Committee approved the selection at a recent meeting.

“The facilities are near-perfect for them, both in size and in access,” Simon Robinson, Warner Bros. Discovery’s president of global experiences and studio operations, said in an interview with The Times. “As we sat down and talked it through with them, we were able to reach what we think is a great deal for both of us.”

Warner Bros. and LA28 declined to provide financial details of the arrangement, which will span nearly two years.

For Warner Bros., the decision came down to whether the studio needed the space for its own TV and film productions or if it was advantageous to turn over the facility, which boasts 16 soundstages and a five-story creative office building, to LA28.

Work to prepare the campus for the Olympics will begin in January.

LA28 plans to use nearly all of the soundstages, which are equipped with dedicated set lighting power, high-capacity silent air conditioning, high-speed wired and wireless internet, and adjoining production suites. There’s also a mill — a 40,000-square foot workshop space — a cafe, plenty of parking and quick access to area freeways.

“We look forward to welcoming the global broadcast community to Los Angeles in 2028,” Shana Ferguson, LA28’s chief of sport and games delivery officer, said in a statement.

No Warner Bros. production will be displaced, Robinson said. Three shows that currently use the complex — the HBO productions “Rooster” and “I Love LA,” and “I Suck at Girls” for Netflix, will be wrapped by the time LA28 moves in next year.

“Everything fell into place nicely,” Robinson said.

The Ranch outpost is rich in Hollywood history — a go-to site to shoot old westerns. Columbia Pictures owned the lot for years, before bringing in Warner Bros. as a partner in the 1970s.

It was later used for filming such classic TV series as “Bewitched” and “I Dream of Jeannie” and the movie “Lethal Weapon.” Opening credits of Warner Bros.’ 1990s sitcom “Friends,” featured the then 20-something cast members frolicking in a fountain near the center of the lot. (The fountain was moved to the main Warner Bros. lot, where it has become a featured part of the studio tour.)

Dutton Ranch viewers have been left confused after it was suggested one of the main stars was gearing up for an exit.

Dutton Ranch fans are frantically searching for answers after a major exit was implied.

Fans of the record-breaking and critically-acclaimed Yellowstone spin-off, Dutton Ranch, have been left with many questions after it was implied one of the show’s best-loved characters was leaving.

The Yellowstone sequel sees Kelly Reilly and Cole Hauser reprise their roles as Beth Dutton and Rip Wheeler as they build a new life for themselves in Texas.

Following a series of devastating events, Rip was forced to take up a job at the rival ranch, the 10 Petal, owned by Beulah Jackson (played by Annette Bening), in order to earn money.

He and Beth hoped to work together to find out what they could about Beulah and prevent her from being a potential threat.

However, reports after the latest episode have left fans wondering whether Rip Wheeler had been forced out.

WARNING: THIS STORY CONTAINS SPOILERS

Is Rip leaving Dutton Ranch?

The answer is no, Rip Wheeler is not leaving Dutton Ranch, despite what some headlines have suggested.

Reports of ‘Rip’s replacement’ have taken viewers down a misleading path, as there is no-one lined up to take over the lead role.

Equally, actor Cole Hauser is not stepping down from the role, it is simply that his character has taken on a slightly new position in the series.

While Rip has been busy running the 10 Petal Ranch, his ranch hands, Zachariach (Marc Menchaca) and Azul ( J.R. Villarreal), have been handling his duties at the Dutton Ranch.

He hopes his work there will be temporary, until they can figure out what to do about their own cattle-less ranch.

In the most recent episode, Beulah announced that her addict son, Rob-Will (Jai Courtney), would take over running the 10 Petal.

As Rob-Will and Rip had a previous run-in at the gas station, fans are predicting Rip will be driven out, or worse – killed by Rob-Will.

With the finale just over a week away, anything could happen, but at this moment in time, Rip is staying put and there is no evidence to suggest he is leaving.

The series is yet to be renewed for another season, but following its record-breaking debut, there are high hopes for its return.

Dutton Ranch airs on Fridays on Paramount+