As summer approaches, its looking even less likely that Yellowstone Season 5’s second half (and the show’s final episodes) will hit in 2023.
In other words, it’s more bad news for Yellowstone fans. The show’s own Jamie Dutton, Wes Bentley, gave a firm update in his latest interview and there’s still been no communication with the main cast on a return date.
Yellowstone Season 5‘s first half wrapped up with the mid-season finale on New Year’s Day 2023 after 8 episodes. Initially, audiences were only set for a short “winter break” before the show returned with the remaining 6 episodes. News-dominating drama behind the scenes, however, has lengthened this wait considerably – and multiple times over.
‘I truly don’t have a clue where it’s going. I haven’t seen or heard anything.’
The ongoing writer’s strike, which is affecting all television and film projects in Hollywood, is now a factor, too. When asked if this was affecting Yellowstone, Bentley confirmed there’s still been no official word for the actors on a return date. Has the Jamie Dutton actor, one of the top-billed names for the series, even seen a script?
“I haven’t, no. I truly don’t have a clue where it’s going. I haven’t seen or heard anything,” Bentley reveals for The Hollywood Reporter this weekend.
Like the rest of the cast, “I don’t have a date of when we’re returning,” he reiterates. “All of these things are out of my control, so I’m just going to hold this gate closed until it’s time to let him loose,” he says of his Dutton son.
Bentley hasn’t had any conversations with his on-screen adoptive dad, Kevin Costner, either. The decision to end the show came as abruptly to the cast as it did to us audiences.
“I haven’t really talked to any of them about that. We never did,” he confirms. “I guess that’s sort of one of those ‘don’t jinx it’ things.
‘Yellowstone’s Wes Bentley will ‘miss’ the show, but also ‘celebrate it being over’
Yet the biggest question on Bentley’s mind is, “Will I hate this guy?” How will he feel about Jamie when it’s all said and done? A question viewers are often pondering, too.
“Like, I hate playing him,” the gifted actor laughs. “I try not to judge my characters, but it’s been enough years that it’s hard not to at this point. It’s very hard to play him. And at the same time, I love it. I’m going to miss the challenge.”
“Every single scene is literally the hardest scene I’ve ever had to do. Or it’s bringing in a new challenge. If the next thing is not the same challenge, I’m definitely going to miss it,” Bentley continues. “I’m going to wrap it up or laminate it or something. It will always be there as one of the hardest things I’ve ever accomplished, or tried to accomplish, bringing out all the facets and nuances of this complicated character. So I will miss it, but I will also celebrate it being over.”
The most recent word from Paramount has Yellowstone Season 5 returning for those final episodes this fall. We’ll see if production can begin in earnest this summer to make that happen.