03-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Indian Express
Yellowstone was abruptly cancelled three seasons too soon because of Kevin Costner's exit
The popular Paramount+ Western series Yellowstone ended after five seasons in December 2024, and fans were left wondering if concluding the Dutton family saga at this point had always been part of the plan. Turns out, that wasn't the case. According to a new report from Bloomberg, co-creator Taylor Sheridan had initially planned to roll out three more seasons starring Kevin Costner, Luke Grimes, Kelly Reilly, and Wes Bentley. However, the plan fizzled out after the sudden and shocking departure of Costner.
Kevin Costner's exit ended Yellowstone future
Season 5 of Yellowstone showed the family reeling from the aftermath of John Dutton's murder, and in a shocking twist by the end of the season, we see Sarah, Jamie Dutton's girlfriend, who played a big role in John Dutton's cold-blooded murder, meet her brutal end. Though the show concluded with a cliffhanger, leaving the question of who hired shooters to kill Sarah unresolved, the hopes for the show's renewal were dashed by the makers. As Bloomberg puts it, 'Yellowstone ended about three seasons before Sheridan had hoped because of a conflict with Costner.'
But if you've been following the drama for a while, this news probably won't surprise you, as Costner has been vocal about not seeing eye to eye with Sheridan. The duo reportedly had bad blood for months, which ended on a sour note, mostly because of scheduling and contractual conflicts. In one interview with Deadline, Costner even mentioned how, at the time, he was working on Horizon, his own Western project. Because the Yellowstone character was the one he loved the most and always prioritised, when the shooting schedule demanded his presence, he revealed that he left the filming and arrived on the Yellowstone set only to find 'there was no script' at all. He ended up walking away. The show had to continue without its main character, John Dutton. However, according to Costner, the narrative spread in the media was completely spun.
'What you read in the end was that I said, 'Well, look, I'm doing my movie. If you want me to work a week because you want to kill me or whatever else, I can give you a week,' ' Costner told Deadline. 'I really didn't have that week to give them, but I said, I'll do that. And then they [spun that] into, I only wanted to work a week.' The end of John wasn't some grand farewell either. He was written off quietly, without much fuss, which left a lot of fans upset. Back in May 2023, Costner even told Deadline he was prepared to sue the studio. 'I made a contract for seasons five, six, and seven. They wanted to redo that one, and instead of seasons 6 and 7, it was 5A and 5B, and maybe we'll do six.'
But instead of getting season 6, the show hit a break midway through season 5, and after a long break, it came back with a rushed ending. And just to remember how big Yellowstone had gotten: the Season 4 finale brought in over 10 million viewers.
What happens next in the Yellowstone universe?
Sheridan might have shut the door on Yellowstone, but a lot of spinoffs are already in the works. According to Collider, Dutton Ranch (with Beth and Rip, played by Kelly Reilly and Cole Hauser) is dropping later this year. A Kayce Dutton spin-off starring Luke Grimes has locked a 2026 window. The Madison, another new show with Michelle Pfeiffer, Kurt Russell, and Matthew Fox, is also in the lineup alongside a prequel. Two other spin-offs, titled 1923 and 1883, have already aired.
