Kevin Costner's Uncertain Future: Will Yellowstone Season 5 Be Missing its Star?

Yellowstone season 5 has been affected by conflicts involving Kevin Costner, who has yet to complete filming his final scenes. Earlier this year, reports emerged suggesting that the Western show could end earlier than expected due to scheduling disagreements with Costner. The actor allegedly wanted to reduce his filming time to just one week. While Costner's team initially denied the rumors, it was confirmed in May that Yellowstone would conclude with season 5, with the focus shifting to a spinoff featuring Matthew McConaughey.

In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, franchise creator Taylor Sheridan addresses the speculation that Costner wanted to scale back his involvement in Yellowstone to pursue a passion project. Sheridan acknowledges that there have been disputes between Costner and the network regarding the timing of the Oscar winner's completion of his role as John Dutton. The discussions are still ongoing in an attempt to convince Costner to film a few scenes to wrap up his character's storyline.

Ongoing discussions are taking place in an attempt to persuade Costner to film a few scenes that would serve as a conclusion for his character. However, the scripts for these scenes have not been finalized yet. It is believed that Dutton engaging in final conversations with his conflicting children, Beth and Jamie, would be especially beneficial in laying the groundwork for the show's final stages.

“My opinion of Kevin as an actor remains unchanged. His portrayal of John Dutton is both symbolic and powerful. Throughout our professional relationship, I have never encountered any issues with Kevin that we couldn't resolve through a simple phone call. However, when legal matters become involved, communication between parties tends to break down, leading to the spread of untrue statements and the attempt to shift blame based on public perception. Kevin has shouldered a great deal of undeserved criticism, and I don't believe anyone deserves such treatment. It appears that his focus has shifted towards his movie, and I sincerely hope that the film proves to be worth his efforts and that it turns out to be a success.

Why Yellowstone Ending With Costner's Leave Is The Right Call

Yellowstone may no longer be dependent on Costner's presence as it once was. With breakout characters like Kelly Reilly's Beth Dutton and an expanding universe of sequels and prequels that boast acting legends such as Helen Mirren and Harrison Ford in the case of 1923 (which has already been renewed for a second season), the franchise is in a strong position to continue its success. This is further strengthened by the way McConaughey's series is structured.

Reports suggest that several original Yellowstone actors may join Oscar-winning actor Matthew McConaughey for the upcoming spinoff. Wes Bentley, who plays Jamie Dutton, has expressed his openness to the possibility. However, it appears that the franchise will conclude the main Yellowstone series with the actor who originally started it, rather than making McConaughey the new lead. This decision allows McConaughey to lead his own project and reduces comparisons between the Western's past and its future.

Source: THR