Warning: This article contains spoilers for Yellowstone Season 5
The departure of Kevin Costner from Yellowstone is still being felt, with Season 5B now underway, and the fate of his character, John Dutton, confirmed. With the character’s death, it is clear that there is now no way back to the franchise for the Horizon director, and there are some fans who blame his decision to leave for the less than successful return of the series as it heads towards a conclusion.
While appearing at the 2024 Governors Awards on Sunday, Costner offered a short, candid view on how he feels about the backlash of fans over his exit from the series with E! News, and it is fair to say that he is not worried too much about it. He said:
“Fans have a voice in things, and they choose to follow stuff.”
While the death of John Dutton came as a shock to many, who were still holding out hope that the 69-year-old would return to the ranch in a surprise turnaround. However, it appears that Costner had never been too far away from thinking of how the Dutton patriarch would meet his maker, and suggested that he had previously pitched how he wanted to see the character’s end play out. However, it seems that he was out of the equation when the fateful decision was actually made. He noted:
“They do what they want to do. That’s fine with me.”
While his Yellowstone fate has now been sealed, there is still the matter of Horizon: An American Saga for the actor to contend with. While the second “chapter” of the epic four-part Western franchise is yet to receive a general release, Costner’s attention is currently on attempting to finance the third and fourth movies that will complete his vision. He recently gave a less than certain update on the project, saying:
“I’m hoping, I’m dreaming, I’m meeting all the billionaires that we all hear about — they’re all hiding in the shadows. I don’t know how I’m going to do it, but I’m going to make it, and then I’m going to make the fourth one. And if you want to say “the end” at that point, then that’s the end. It’s my own private UFO. I’ve seen it, and I will never forget it, and I chase it as long as I can. … I will figure out a way to bring you 3 and 4, because you’ve gone to 1, and you’re gonna go to 2, and we’re all gonna go west together.”
Related
How Kevin Costner Was Written Out of Yellowstone
Kevin Costner is officially out of Yellowstone, as he was completely written out of the Western TV show.
It does seem that, whatever it takes, Costner will make it to the end of his journey with Horizon. Whether there is a small part of him that wonders what might have been if he had not been quite so ambitious, and he had stuck out Yellowstone a little longer, is doubtful. Costner is a man who clearly and resolutely set out to make a movie that he wanted to make, and one that he is determined to see through to the end. It may just take a little longer than expected.
- Release Date
- June 20, 2018
- Cast
- Kevin Costner , Finn Little , Brecken Merrill , Gil Birmingham , Denim Richards , Ian Bohen , Danny Huston , Kelly Reilly , Forrie J. Smith , Cole Hauser , Kelsey Asbille , Wes Bentley , Jefferson White , Luke Grimes , Ryan Bingham
- Seasons
- 5
- Franchise
- Story By
- Taylor Sheridan
- Network
- Paramount
- Streaming Service(s)
- Paramount+ , Peacock