Kevin Costner is reportedly not returning to “Yellowstone” after Season 5 concludes.
The news comes amid alleged differences between Costner and series creator Taylor Sheridan over the actor’s filming commitments, according to Entertainment Tonight. The Paramount Network show is currently on its mid-season break, with six episodes remaining.
Word broke in February that the back half of the latest “Yellowstone” season could be the show’s last with Costner as John Dutton. Scheduling conflicts with Costner’s multi-part western movie epic “Horizon” precluding the star from continuing his role as patriarch of the Montana ranch family.
Costner’s filming conditions on the remaining episodes of the current season are why the actor will not return, according to Entertainment Tonight on Wednesday.
Costner, who had originally limited himself to 65 days of shooting on “Yellowstone,” only wanted to shoot for 50 days for the first part of the current season and a week for the second batch of season five episodes, according to a report in Deadline in February.
Sources tell ET there’s no update on when the cast and crew will return to Montana to film the remainder of the season. With no date in sight, this is causing confusion and frustration behind the scenes, according to ET.
Another factor that could delay the back half of “Yellowstone” is the ongoing writer’s strike, which went into effect Tuesday. The work stoppage means writers are not available ton work on movie or television scripts.
Sheridan writes most of the show, and if he has written the second half of the season, filming could commence. But if Sheridan and crew were unable to finish the scripts before the strike, “Yellowstone” fans could be waiting even longer for their favorite show to come back.
If this is it for Costner and “Yellowstone,” fans could see another famous face lead the show.
In the same February report about Costner and Sheridan’s alleged dispute, Deadline Hollywood said Matthew McConaughey could step into the lead in “Yellowstone.” It’s unlikely McConaughey would replace Costner as the Dutton family patriarch, but it would be more a passing of the torch in terms of taking over as lead actor on the show.
Whatever shakes out this season, “Yellowstone” fans still have plenty of things to look forward to. An “1883” spinoff show titled “Lawmen: Bass Reeves” has been filming around North Texas and tells the story of the real-life first Black deputy U.S. marshal west of the Mississippi River. David Oyelowo is cast in the titular role.
In addition, a second season has been announced for the other “Yellowstone” spinoff show titled “1923.” The show, starring Harrison Ford and Helen Mirren, wrapped up production on its first season in February.