Is Kevin Costner Leaving Yellowstone? Exit Reports Explained

Yellowstone just wouldn’t be the same without Kevin Costner’s performance of John Dutton.

As the patriarch of Yellowstone Dutton Ranch, John is a formidable force.

With the whole show revolving around Kevin Costner’s character John Dutton, after every season fans are left hoping Kevin Costner will return.

However, recent developments indicate that after five seasons, Costner may be parting from his role.

Is Kevin Costner leaving Yellowstone?

Though nothing is official or confirmed, due to scheduling conflicts, Kevin Costner could be leaving Yellowstone after season 5 to focus on other projects.

Originally, Costner said that he will continue to play John Dutton “till it doesn’t feel like we’re interesting. And right now we have our foot on the gas and that feels okay to me.”

However, there has been some turmoil between Costner and show creator Taylor Sheridan over filming schedules. According to reports, filming Yellowstone season 5 of Yellowstone has taken up more of Costner’s time than he would like.

Allegedly, Costner limited himself to 65 days for filming season 5. He only wanted to shoot for 50 days for the first part of the season.

However, for the second part of the season which is set to come out in the summer of 2023, Costner only wanted to spend one week shooting.

The drama of the possibility of Costner leaving Yellowstone has caused quite a stir. A spokesperson from Paramount released the following statement in response to the rumors:

“We have no news to report. Kevin Costner is a big part of Yellowstone and we hope that’s the case for a long time to come. Thanks to the brilliant mind of Taylor Sheridan, we are always working on franchise expansions of this incredible world he has built.”

Also read: How Much Every Yellowstone Actor is Paid

Matthew McConaughey on Joining the Yellowstone Universe

While this might be the last we see of Kevin Costner in Yellowstone, there is a fresh face coming to the franchise. Matthew McConaughey has been in talks with Taylor Sheridan in regard to joining the Yellowstone universe.

While there is no official statement as to what McConaughey’s role would be, there is the possibility that he would be replacing Costner on Yellowstone. There are also reports that McConaughey would take the lead in a “potential franchise extension.”

While there is no information available as to what the “potential franchise extension” entails, “it is expected to include several of the big stars.”

Taylor Sheridan and Matthew McConaughey are said to be big fans of each other’s work. McConaughey is sure to be a great addition to the Yellowstone universe. Perhaps he will be the lead actor in the 1944 Yellowstone prequel show rumored to be in production.

Kevin Costner on Working With Taylor Sheridan

As one of the biggest names in Hollywood, Costner has starred in his fair share of movies and TV shows. As a producer and director himself, Costner knows what it takes to deliver an epic performance.

Costner considers Yellowstone creator Taylor Sheridan to be a wordsmith. He believes that wordsmiths have a lot of heart and a sense of humor.

“He creates worthy opponents so that there’s not one person smarter than the rest and everybody else is dumb and become conveniences to knock down. I think he’s created a nice chess game going back and forth between the people and he loves that world. I embrace the outdoors in the exact same way,” said Costner about Sheridan in an interview with Gold Derby.

Sheridan believes that Costner is “an incredible storyteller as a director, as a writer, as an actor.” These factors played an important role in Sheridan casting Costner as John Dutton.

Also, read our guide on Kevin Costner.

Kevin Costner is Set to Star in an Upcoming Western

Kevin Costner has been focusing a lot of his time on his new Western saga. Costner is not only starring in the epic Western film Horizon, but he is also the director and co-writer.

Horizon will revolve around pre and post-Civil War expansion in America and the settlement of the American West. In addition to Costner, the movie will also star Yellowstone’s Will Patton.

Patton plays Garrett Randall on Yellowstone, a former convict and Jamie’s biological father. Horizon is currently in production and filming in Utah. There is no confirmation of when the film is set to be released.

What Will Part Two of Season Five Have in Store for John Dutton?

Season 5 of Yellowstone will be returning in the summer of 2023. There are six episodes remaining and it could very well mark the end of Yellowstone.

The Duttons will have plenty of problems to face in the second part of season 5. Jamie is plotting to impeach his father as governor, with hopes to take over the position.

John will likely also have to face Thomas Rainwater, who is unhappy about a potential pipeline running through the reservation. There is also the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Park, which is on the ranch for killing endangered wolves.

In addition, there is the whole fiasco with moving cattle herds down to Texas due to a bacterial disease threatening to wipe out the Dutton’s livestock. The cost of leasing land in Texas very well could bankrupt the ranch.

Between his job as governor and owning the ranch, there is no guarantee he will make it out of the season alive.

In a previous interview with Extra, Costner said “I don’t want to die… just too much to do. In terms of this story, I don’t know where that’s gonna go… I haven’t really thought about it. I think that [show creator Taylor Sheridan]’s been writing a really high level. I’ll say when I don’t want to do it anymore.”