Ahead of Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 1‘s theatrical release next week on June 28, Kevin Costner took to social media to finally address the possibilily of his return as John Dutton in the upcoming final season of Yellowstone.
Why won’t a Kevin Costner Yellowstone return happen?
On his personal X account, the Oscar winner has officially finalized his exit from the hit Western drama, confirming that his character will not appear in the second half of the final season. This comes after Costner said, in an interview a month ago, that he would be open to reprising his role in the future, despite how complicated things ended. However, his newest statement today clearly shuts down fan hopes for John Dutton’s return.
“I want to reach out and let you know that after this long year and a half of working on Horizon and doing all the things that’s 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,” Costner said. “It was something that really changed me. I loved it. And I know you loved it. And I just wanted to let you know that I won’t be returning, and I love the relationship we’ve been able to develop, and I’ll see you at the movies.”
The news about Costner’s controversial Yellowstone exit first began early last year, with outlets reporting that the acclaimed actor had decided to part ways with the show due to scheduling conflicts with his directorial comeback movie trilogy and creative differences. However, Costner has responded by denying claims that his dedication to Horizon had impeded his working time on Yellowstone. Last September 2023, Costner hinted that he would “probably go to court” against the producers of the hit Paramount Network series over his exit. At the moment, it’s unclear if the actor is still considering taking legal action.
Yellowstone is created and executive produced by Taylor Sheridan and John Linson. The series currently stars Luke Grimes, Kelly Reilly, Wes Bentley, Cole Hauser, Kelsey Asbille, Brecken Merrill, Jefferson White, Forrie Smith, Denim Richards, Ian Bohen, Finn Little, Ryan Bingham, Gil Birmingham, Jen Landon, and Kathryn Kelly.
