'I Won't Be Returning' – Kevin Costner's Yellowstone Drama Is Finally Over

Summary

• In addition to its riveting story, Yellowstone is shrouded in off-screen drama.
• Kevin Costner took to Instagram to give fans an update on his return to Yellowstone.
• The second part of Season 5 of Yellowstone has been filming for over a month without Costner.

Since its premiere in 2018, Yellowstone has been one of the most popular dramas on American television. The story of the Dutton family, owners of Montana's largest ranch whose rights to the land are contested by the neighboring Indian reservation, Yellowstone National Park, and real estate developers, has spanned five seasons and inspired a number of spin-offs over the years, but the off-screen drama surrounding the series is just as enthralling.

Starring Kevin Costner as family patriarch John Dutton III, Yellowstone has made headlines in recent years with news and scandals surrounding the actor's sudden departure and its reverberations. Costner, who was busy with his upcoming film series Horizon: An American Saga, was unable to return for the second part of the show's fifth season, which has been in the works since 2022.

Recently, however, the actor has said many times that he would love to reprise his role to give his character a proper closure. But it seems Kevin Costner has dotted all the i's and crossed all the t's with Yellowstone, as he now says he won't be returning to the show.

The Final Answer

'After this long year and a half of working on Horizon, doing all the things required, and thinking about Yellowstone – that beloved series that I love, that I know you love – I just realized that I'm not going to be able to continue Season 5B or into the future,' the actor recently informed his fans on Instagram.

Costner didn't explain his sudden change of heart, but he seemed very sorry about leaving John Dutton's story unfinished,

'[Yellowstone] was something that really changed me. I loved it. And I know that you loved it. And I just wanted to let you know that I won't be returning. I love this relationship that we've been able to develop. And I'll see you at the movies,' the actor added, referring to Horizon: An American Saga, the first installment of which is set to premiere on June 28.

Why Won't Kevin Costner Return?

There are many reasons why the Yellowstone star will not be reprising his role. The falling-out between him and the studio, which blamed the actor for ditching John's arc despite his many attempts to work out a schedule to complete his character's story, certainly plays a role. But more importantly, the second part of Season 5 began filming over a month ago, and since the producers went ahead without Costner – even though he said he would be willing to revisit his character during that time – there may be no need for him to return.

Yellowstone Season 5 Part 2 will premiere on November 10 on the Paramount Network.

Source: Instagram.