Yellowstone fans were shocked to learn that Kevin Costner, who played John Dutton in the show, was leaving after the fifth season to focus on starring in and directing a four-movie Western epic. The surprises kept on coming when creator Taylor Sheridan and the Paramount Network announced that the popular contemporary Western drama television series would end with season 5. The slew of news was met with speculations about what was going down between Costner and the show’s producers and rumors of drama and tension behind the scenes. However, all work on the fifth season came to a pause in 2023 thanks to the WGA strike and the SAG-AFTRA strike.
Yellowstone season 5, part 1 has already aired, so fans are waiting patiently for part 2 and the series’ final episodes. Unfortunately, the cast and crew have not begun filming the second part of the season due to the writers and the actors strike. The production is produced by MTV Entertainment Studios, a subsidiary of Paramount Global, represented by the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP), the trade association that the WGA and SAG-AFTRA are disputing with. As a result, the Yellowstone cast and crew cannot make season 5, part 2, during the strikes, which might be a good thing for now.
Yellowstone Season 5, Part 2’s Filming Delay Could Save The Show’s Ending
Since the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes affect Yellowstone season 5, it might be a while until part 2 premieres. It was originally scheduled to debut in late 2023, but that will undoubtedly get pushed back as the strike continues with no end in sight as of the writing of this article. Although fans are eager to see what happens to the Dutton family next following the conclusion of Yellowstone season 5, part 1, a delay in production might be just what the Paramount Network series needs as it heads into its final stretch of episodes.
Court documents reveal ing that Kevin Costner’s Yellowstone contract had already ended were leaked in July 2023. Obviously, this news worried fans since the cast and crew have yet to film the second part of season 5. As Costner claimed in the documents, since he is no longer under contract for Yellowstone, the only earnings he’ll potentially receive from the show would be his unfixed back-end contractual participation rights. However, the actor also revealed that a producer on the show told him they do not owe him any money, which likely gives Costner no reason to return for the final six episodes.
The extra time between Yellowstone season 5 parts 1 and 2 gives both parties (Costner and the producers) space to cool off and perhaps come back together to figure out a way to properly end John Dutton’s story and the show. Of course, contract negotiations cannot take place while the SAG-AFTRA strike is ongoing. But in the meantime, the filming delay of Yellowstone season 5, part 2, gives the producers and writers more time to figure out a solution to this mess involving Costner. They can either brainstorm incentives for him to return or come up with a way to end the series without his important character.
What We Know About Kevin Costner’s Yellowstone Status
Whatever the case, the cast and crew will eventually get to film and finish production on Yellowstone season 5, part 2, once the strikes are over. Fans will know what happens to the characters and the Yellowstone Dutton Ranch. The only question that remains is if Kevin Costner will be involved in the final six episodes. His character has been integral to the Paramount Network television series since the beginning, and a conclusion to the show’s story wouldn’t feel right if John Dutton III was not involved somehow. Unfortunately, there has not been a lot of news regarding his return to or exit from Yellowstone season 5 due to the SAG-AFTRA strike.
The last update came via Costner’s divorce court documents, which, as stated above, revealed that his contract with the contemporary Western drama television series had come to an end. So it is not looking good regarding the actor’s return to the show for the second part of season 5. But the filming delay could be a blessing in disguise since it gives Costner and the producers more time to think about their next steps and how Yellowstone can deliver the best series finale.