Looks Like Yellowstone Fans Have Moved On From Costner's Character
Whether Costner leaves or stays, fans are more interested in other characters.
In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Taylor Sheridan said, 'Whether [Dutton's fate] inflates [Costner's] ego or insults is collateral damage that I don't factor in with regard to storytelling.' It seems that the star of the main neo-Western series has suffered a blow to his ego after all. Despite his best efforts to return to the show, Sheridan's firm stance on the fate of his characters has ultimately eliminated that possibility.
In May, when Paramount announced that Season 5 Part 2 would be the last and that Costner would be leaving the show, fans began to debate the development. While many expressed sadness, the consensus was that the remaining ensemble cast could carry the storyline through to the finale on their own, given the recent focus on John's children. Moreover, empirical data supported this view, statistically demonstrating that the popularity of the Dutton family patriarch had significantly declined by Season 5.
The Situation
When Kevin Costner's departure from the project was announced, Paramount and Sheridan attributed it to a scheduling conflict. From the start, the series creator had planned to divide the season into two parts, a strategy that did not align with Costner's commitments to his own new project, Horizon, a series of four Western films.
Costner's Demands
A conversation between Costner and Sheridan in July revealed that the actor was open to returning, but only under specific conditions: a larger paycheck, a revised shooting schedule, and the power to influence the script, particularly regarding John's fate. For Sheridan, who had been independently working on the script from the beginning and who had initially come up with how each character's arc was to conclude, this was a non-starter.
Heart of the Show?
According to social analytics platform ListenFirst, as cited by Puck, online mentions of 'John Dutton' fell from 44% in Season 1 to just 14% in the first half of Season 5. Paramount also confirmed that many viewers are prepared to watch the show without Costner, based on their survey findings.
As the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes continue, there remains a slim chance that both sides will reach an agreement, although this seems unlikely given that Costner is suing Yellowstone for money.
However, the evidence suggests that fans aren't as concerned anymore. That isn't surprising, considering that characters like Beth, Jamie, Rip, and Kayce have seen more development recently, sparking curiosity among viewers about how the finale will affect them.