On June 20, Oscar winner Kevin Costner said that he will not be returning to
Paramount
's neo-Western
Yellowstone
for the second half of
season 5
.
Costner, 69, who has played John Dutton III since the show's debut, has been the focus of much conjecture about his return to Yellowstone among production delays. The actor has finally confirmed his involvement in the series.
In an Instagram post, Costner alluded to Yellowstone as the "beloved series" he holds dear, but after over a year of working on
Horizon
: An American Saga, he "realised" that he is "not going to be able to continue season 5, or into the future."
Costner's statement comes more than a year after rumours of his
departure
began to circulate, and just days after the actor told PEOPLE in his cover story about his disappointment with production's lack of support for
media storylines
.
Hours before his confirmation, Paramount revealed that the second half of Season 5 would premiere in November 2024, albeit without its franchise star.
Here's everything you need to know about Costner's
exit
from the Western drama before the series finale.
While Costner's official exit may disappoint fans, it follows extensive speculation and reports from Costner himself about
scheduling constraints
and production issues.
In May, Costner informed Deadline that he left filming for Horizon to go on location for Yellowstone, only to discover that "there was no script." The actor went on to discuss how his attempt to accommodate despite his tight schedule was misrepresented in the media.
“What you read in the end was that I said, ‘Well, look, I’m doing my movie. If you want me to work a week because you want to kill me or whatever else, I can give you a week,’” Costner told the outlet. “I really didn’t have that week to give them, but I said, I’ll do that. And then they [spun that] into, I only wanted to work a week.”
While Costner's official exit may disappoint fans, it follows extensive speculation and reports from Costner himself about scheduling constraints and production issues.
In May, Costner informed Deadline that he left filming for Horizon to go on location for Yellowstone, only to discover that "there was no script." The actor went on to discuss how his attempt to accommodate despite his tight schedule was misrepresented in the media.
“What you read in the end was that I said, ‘Well, look, I’m doing my movie. If you want me to work a week because you want to kill me or whatever else, I can give you a week,’” Costner told the outlet. “I really didn’t have that week to give them, but I said, I’ll do that. And then they [spun that] into, I only wanted to work a week.”
Costner went on to say that his devotion to Yellowstone was never an issue, but rather a slew of issues beyond his control that made things complicated.
"I made Yellowstone the first priority, and to insinuate anything else would be wrong," he told the newspaper. "I didn't start any of those things. They did. They were performing a tap dance, and this poor guy was also writing a lot."
Costner has also spoken out about the lack of support he received from those engaged in the series. "I was disappointed that nobody on their side ... ever stepped up to defend what it was I actually did for them,” Costner told PEOPLE earlier in June 2024. “There came a moment where I thought, 'Wow, when is somebody going to say something about what I have done versus what I haven't done?' "
Despite his frustrations, Costner has expressed his respect for Yellowstone. The actor ended his Instagram message by repeating what the programme means to him, emphasising his profound affection for the series and the community it has created.
"It was something that profoundly impacted me. I enjoyed it, and I know you did too. And I just wanted to let you know that I won't be returning," Costner remarked, "I love the relationship that we've been able to create, and I'll see you at the movies."
In an April interview with The Independent, Yellowstone star Luke Grimes claimed he understood Costner's motivations for departing.
Grimes, who plays Costner's on-screen son, Kayce Dutton, told the outlet that, while "whatever happened there" is "unfortunate" in terms of how it may change the series' trajectory, he supports Costner's pursuit of "passion projects," such as Horizon, in which Costner invested $38 million of his own money while also directing, co-writing, starring, and producing.
"At a certain point, you gotta do what you gotta do, man; you gotta do what you love," says Grimes.
However, Yellowstone creator Taylor Sheridan took a different take on the topic in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter in June, stating that he was "disappointed" by Costner's departure.
"It cuts short his character's ending. It doesn't change it, but it shortens it," Sheridan explained.
