Has the curtain really closed on Kevin Costner’s rugged tenure in the Paramount series, Yellowstone? The repercussions of his contentious exit are still being felt across the rolling hills of TV drama, yet the door to collaboration with the show’s mastermind, Taylor Sheridan, hasn’t been firmly shut. Fans may recall Costner’s indelible performance as patriarch John Dutton, creating a character who became synonymous with the gritty Western series.
As the second half of season 5 awaits its November airing, the suspense is palpable.
While his recent interview with EW does not promise a return to the Yellowstone ranch, his words do provide a glimmer of hope—an affirmation that, while the episodes remain unfinished, his professional respect for Sheridan’s work is as strong as ever.
The Future of John Dutton: Will Kevin Costner Reprise His Iconic Role?
With Kevin Costner, 69, reportedly leaving the show due to scheduling conflicts, the fifth season of Yellowstone has been slated to be the final one. As of right now, Taylor Sheridan’s show is scheduled to conclude with its final episodes airing in November, with a new spinoff series, 2024, set to premiere in December (see Deadline).
When it comes to deciphering John Dutton’s plot without the main character, there is a lot of ambiguity about the future course of Yellowstone. A month has passed since Costner informed Entertainment Tonight that he would “love to” return to the show, and since the production of the final season is about to start, there may not be much more time.
However, despite the contentious nature of his exit, Costner has recently made it clear that he is not opposed to working with Sheridan again in the future. However, the actor addressed the rumors head-on by saying, “No, we have not [talked]”, in an interview with EW.
For fans hoping for a reunion between Costner and Sheridan, the former’s remarks do, nevertheless, hold a ray of hope. A future collaboration on Yellowstone or elsewhere may be possible as a result of the actor’s admiration for Sheridan’s visionary storytelling:
“He’s doing special work in a lot of different ways. He’s very prolific about the things he does, and if he sees me in something that he wants to do, I’ll look at it just the way I did Yellowstone and maybe we will end up doing something together. He likes a lot of the things that I like…”
Moreover, the fact that he says, “It is a Taylor question”, suggests that he is amenable to his Yellowstone return, but the initiative now lies with Sheridan:
“Yellowstone stands as something that could continue. But that is a Taylor question.”
The fate of John Dutton still remains a mystery as the countdown to the final episodes of Yellowstone continues.
Reasons Behind Kevin Costner’s Exit From Yellowstone
Ever since it was revealed that Yellowstone will be canceled after season 5, reportedly owing in large part to star Kevin Costner’s departure, rumors have circulated regarding the reason behind the actor’s decision to leave Taylor Sheridan’s show.
The decision to divide season five into two halves, necessitating two distinct filming sessions, was one of the contributing factors, according to Costner. He told People that the decision was reached after a “long, hard-fought negotiation”, which would require him to devote more time off from his forthcoming flick (Horizon: An American Saga), which he is writing, directing, and starring in.
On the other hand, Sheridan, 54, clarified to THR in 2023 that he and Costner had not always agreed on the actor’s character, John Dutton:
“I’ve never had an issue with Kevin that he and I couldn’t work out on the phone. But once lawyers get involved, then people don’t get to talk to each other and start saying things that aren’t true and attempt to shift blame based on how the press or public seem to be reacting. [Costner] took a lot of this on the chin and I don’t know that anyone deserves it.”
However, as he told EW, Costner’s willingness to work with Sheridan again is a promising sign for fans of the show, who may still hope to see the actor return as John Dutton.
Anyway, while neither Costner nor Yellowstone representatives have formally declared whether the actor will make any farewell appearances in the last episodes of the show, these hints make that seem less and less likely.