\nKevin Costner has finally reached a crossroads with “Yellowstone” after prolonged back-and-forth discussions with the show’s leadership. He announced his departure from the series in June 2024, though he remains active with a special project he’s been developing for some time.\n
“Yellowstone” is a Western series starring Kevin Costner as John Dutton. It tells the story of a ranching family in Montana that faces threats from those attempting to encroach on their land. Since its 2018 premiere, Costner has appeared in 53 episodes, but he plans to leave the show after season 5 for various reasons.\n
Ahead of “Yellowstone’s” season 5B return on November 10, 2024, Costner was asked how he described his character’s presence, given his limited appearance in the trailer. He replied, “His presence is integral. I think to say any more than that would potentially compromise all the work that went into redacting the scripts!”\n
Laughing, he added, “But I think the reason people are wondering, ‘Is he, isn’t he? Where is he, where is he not?’ is because he is the patriarch, and his presence is an essential component to the story. John Dutton is still central.”\n
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While the show’s co-creator and writer, Taylor Sheridan, typically keeps scripts under wraps, some speculated that heightened secrecy might be due to several factors. Director Christina Voros was asked if this was because of Costner’s exit, the final season billing of 5B, or the show’s heightened popularity raising expectations.\n
Voros confirmed that all these factors played a role and noted that with such a beloved show, fans developed ideas about its ending. According to her, Sheridan crafted a beautiful, surprising, riveting, and unexpected conclusion.\n
The director continued, “The cast this year, after seven years of shooting this show, has grown into these roles so deeply that the performances are really next level.” She explained that the actors, who understand their characters as well as Sheridan, have invested a lifetime of work into building these roles.\n
Voros concluded by saying, “The performances this year are just exceptional.” Shifting back to Costner’s departure, it appears that there were clashes over his filming schedule.\n
Sources indicate that Costner initially allocated 65 days for “Yellowstone” but later sought to reduce his time to 50 days for season 5. For the latter half of the season, the Golden Globes winner allegedly only intended to shoot for one week due to commitments to another project.\n
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Part of the Reason Why Costner Left ‘Yellowstone’\n
By February 2023, Costner was already directing and starring in his multi-part Western film series, “Horizon: An American Saga.” He co-wrote the series with Jon Baird, and the films were picked up by New Line and Warner Bros. Pictures.\n
With Costner still portraying John Dutton, his work on his personal project reportedly frustrated Sheridan, leading to morale issues among the actor’s co-stars.\n
In 2023, sources revealed that Paramount Network declined Costner’s proposal, opting to pursue a different series. A potential “Yellowstone” franchise extension was hinted at, with Matthew McConaughey possibly stepping in as the new lead.\n
Reports indicate that McConaughey is in negotiations. When asked in May 2024 about his position with “Yellowstone” while balancing other commitments, Costner admitted, “Well, I haven’t felt good about it the last year, what with the way they’ve talked about it. It wasn’t truthful.”\n
The star explained that his original contract covered five to seven seasons, but a renegotiated contract in February 2024 covered only seasons 5A and B, with a possible season six. However, he noted, “They weren’t able to make those.”\n
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He added, “‘Horizon’ was set in the middle, but ‘Yellowstone’ was first position. I fit [Horizon] into the gaps. They just kept moving their gaps.” Before “Horizon” premiered at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival, Costner shared his excitement about presenting his own film there.\n
“I’m so thrilled to be going there,” he said. “And listen, I don’t want to get down in the gutter with the ‘Yellowstone’ thing, but what I’m telling you is straight up,” Sheridan added. Without specifics, he expressed dissatisfaction with certain “Yellowstone” colleagues.\n
He stated, “But if you know me well enough, I made ‘Yellowstone’ the first priority, and to insinuate anything else would be wrong. I did not initiate any of those things. They did. They were doing a tap dance, and this poor guy was also having to write so much.”\n
The actor mentioned that he didn’t understand why the “Yellowstone” team didn’t defend him, though he chose not to dwell on it, focusing instead on promoting his film. He noted, “They’ve been pretty slick about keeping their hands off; nobody was ever on the record.”\n
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