Is Kevin Costner Coming Back to 'Yellowstone'? Everything He Has Said About His Future on the Show

Is Kevin Costner Returning to ‘Yellowstone’?

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While Costner will not be starring in season 5, part 2, the actor did hint at a possible return in the future. 

“Some things have a way of circling back, I haven’t seen that dust trail coming towards me but I’ve always been open to what I started,” Costner told Entertainment Tonight in September 2022. “Five seasons was a lot for us to do and I think that that story is not finished.”

When Did Kevin Costner Leave ‘Yellowstone’?

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Costner announced his departure from the series in June 2024. 

“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,” the actor said in a video to Instagram.

“It was something that really changed me,” he continued. “I loved it and I know you loved it, and I just wanted to let you know that I won’t be returning.”

“I love the relationship we’ve been able to develop, and I’ll see you at the movies,” he added. 

Why Did Kevin Costner Leave ‘Yellowstone’?

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As fans of the show might be aware, Costner’s departure from the show was due to much more than Horizon scheduling conflicts. In fact, tensions were reportedly brewing for a while between Costner and the production and the show’s director Taylor Sheridan. 

According to sources for Puck News in February 2023, production and Costner’s fellow co-stars were “frustrated by his ego and his unavailability for a few years.” Those tensions then further increased when the second part of the fifth season didn’t align with Costner’s availability and reported salary expectations. 

Per their sources, Costner made himself available for one week to shoot the new episodes and began demanding compensation for promotion days in addition to asking for $1.5 million per episode instead of his previous $1.2 million per episode.

Costner’s litigator Marty Singer, however, denied the allegations the actor had been hard to work with. “The idea that Kevin was only willing to work one week on the second half of Season 5 of Yellowstone is an absolute lie,” he said.

“It’s ridiculous—and anyone suggesting it shouldn’t be believed for one second,” he continued. “As everyone who knows anything about Kevin is well aware, he is incredibly passionate about the show and has always gone way above and beyond to ensure its success.”

Sheridan himself addressed the alleged misunderstandings in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter. “I’ve never had an issue with Kevin that he and I couldn’t work out on the phone,” Sheridan said of his star. “But once lawyers get involved, then people don’t get to talk to each other and start saying things that aren’t true and attempt to shift blame based on how the press or public seem to be reacting. He took a lot of this on the chin and I don’t know that anyone deserves it.”

“His movie seems to be a great priority to him and he wants to shift focus,” Sheridan summarized. “I sure hope [the movie is] worth it — and that it’s a good one.”

Have Kevin Costner’s Co-Stars Spoken Out About His Absence?

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Fellow Yellowstone star Luke Grimes got candid in November 2024 about not having Costner around for the second part of the last season. 

“He’s [Kevin Costner] a big presence, man, guy’s an icon,” Grimes told People. “So not having him around to set felt a little different. But as always, I mean, we’re a big family now. It was just as special and hopefully, the fans will be able to connect with the story just as much … I think they will be able to.”

Grimes also talked about his reaction to his departure, and the pressure the show felt to end the show the right way. 

“Him not coming back felt like, ‘Okay, we’re going to have to land this plane now for real,'” Grimes said.

What Happened to Kevin Costner’s Character on ‘Yellowstone’?

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With season 5, part 2 premiering in just a few days, we’re moments away from finding out what happens with Costner’s character John Dutton. 

In the past, Sheridan has talked about how he was planning on dealing with Costner’s absence. 

“It truncates the closure of his character,” Sheridan told The Hollywood Reporter of Costner’s departure in June 2023. “It doesn’t alter it, but it truncates it.”

“I don’t do f– you car crashes,” Sheridan said of John’s future. “Whether [Dutton’s fate] inflates [Costner’s] ego or insults is collateral damage that I don’t factor in with regard to storytelling.” Ouch!

What Can Fans Expect of ‘Yellowstone’ Season 5, Part 2?

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At the season 5, part 2 premiere, Grimes talked about what these last few episodes of the series will be about. 

“This was always where the show was headed, it was ‘Can these kids do it without him?'” the actor told The Hollywood Reporter. “What [Costner’s absence] did do was ramp the show up to a 10 and now everything starts to unravel.” 

Plus the main characters’ endings are reportedly “perfect.” “It’s absolutely the way it needed to end for Kayce and Monica and Tate,” Grimes said. We can’t wait to watch!