Although Kevin Costner’s time on Yellowstone could be coming to an end, he’s earned a ton of money for his leading role in the Western drama. What is Kevin Costner’s salary per episode on Yellowstone? We’re breaking down the actor’s hefty net worth, below.
The Western television series Yellowstone from Paramount centers on the Dutton family, who run the Yellowstone Dutton Ranch in Montana and are governed by John Dutton (played by Costner). Since the first season in 2018, Costner has played the family patriarch. The show keeps doing incredibly well on TV and digital services. According to Deadline, the season 5 simulcast premiere on Paramount, CMT, Pop, and TV Land attracted close to 16 million viewers. The most watched cable debut since The Walking Dead in 2017 and the most watched TV program for 2022, respectively, are Yellowstone and The Walking Dead.
Costner spoke with Comingsoon.net about why he chose to take on a TV series after his prosperous career in films. “I just needed to feel, did this have a chance to 1) make me interested, and 2) could an audience enjoy the same things that I was enjoying about it? So I had to kind of make a fundamental decision about that.” He continued: “I came to the conclusion, ‘Yeah I think that people will really enjoy this.’ I didn’t predict that it would be a runaway success, but I’m not surprised at all that people do like it to the degree that they have liked it. I think that I couldn’t have predicted that exactly.”
Recently, Yellowstone has been engulfed with drama between Costner and the show’s creator, Taylor Sheridan, and there are reports that Season 5 could be the actor’s last. Our sister publication Deadline first reported in February 2023 that the issue stemmed from conflicts with Costner’s filming schedule, which has allegedly impacted the second batch of episodes in the show’s current fifth season. A source told Deadline that Costner “only wanted to spend a week shooting.” The actor’s lawyer, Marty Singer, fired back and told Puck.News that “the idea that Kevin was only willing to work one week on the second half of Season 5 of Yellowstone is an absolute lie.” Singer also called the allegations “ridiculous — and anyone suggesting it shouldn’t be believed for one second.”
The release date of Yellowstone’s Season 5, Part 2, which was planned for this summer, is currently uncertain. The second installment of Yellowstone was supposed to begin filming in March 2023, according to sources who spoke to The Hollywood Reporter in February 2023, but the schedule was moved because of the controversy surrounding Costner’s departure. The second half of season 5 “has not yet started filming and they have not been given a start date,” according to the Yellowstone actors who attended PaleyFest in April 2023, according to Variety.
There’s even speculation that part two could be scrapped altogether, especially after the news that Matthew McConaughey will be leading a new Yellowstone extension series, where some of the cast is expected to move over. Chris McCarthy, president and CEO of Paramount Media Networks, confirmed to The Hollywood Reporter on March 28, 2023, that the McConaughey Yellowstone spin-off will “move forward regardless of whether Costner returns to the original.” Costner is busy directing and starring in the Western “epic” Horizon, a four-part feature film spearheaded by Warner Bros. and New Line Cinema. Horizon has a demanding shooting schedule of 220 days, which could be affecting the actor’s tight schedule.
If Kevin Costner leaves Yellowstone, he’ll be forgoing a huge payday. Learn how much he makes per episode of the successful Paramount series, below.
What is Kevin Costner’s salary per episode on Yellowstone?
What is Kevin Costner’s salary per episode on Yellowstone? According to a 2022 report by Variety, Costner is making more than $1.2 million per episode in season 5, joining TV’s “one million salary club” of stars racking in seven figures. Meanwhile, Celebrity Net Worth reported that Costner was making around $1.3 million. If we go with the latter number, Season 5 has 14 episodes, which means Costner could be making upwards of $19.2 million for this season alone. However, if Costner doesn’t return for the second part’s six episodes, this number could be cut almost in half. It’s unknown whether Costner will be paid out if he exits the show and what the deal will look like. Celebrity Net Worth also reported that if Costner films a sixth season of the show, his salary per episode would jump to $1.5 million (which could amount to around $24 million for a full season).
This $1.3 million sum Costner made in Season 5 is a big jump from the $500,000 per episode salary Costner reportedly earned in Season 1. His salary has increased steadily over the past five years — and the success of the show on TV and streaming services has likely contributed to the rapid growth. Following the success of Yellowstone, Sheridan ordered three spinoffs: 1883, 1923 and 6666.
What is Kevin Costner’s net worth in 2023?
How much money will Kevin Costner have in 2023? Kevin Costner has a $250 million net worth, claims Celebrity Net Worth. According to the website, he made a significant portion of his money during the 1980s or 1990s when he was regarded as “one of the highest-paid actors” worldwide. Dances with Wolves and Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves are just two of the successful movies he has both directed and starred in. The actor reportedly earned $5 million for the Academy Award-winning movie Dances with Wolves. Moreover, he received $14 for his performance in the 1995 movie Waterworld.
His other popular movies include JFK, The Bodyguard, Man of Steel, Hidden Figures, Molly’s Game, Let Him Go and much more. Aside from Yellowstone, Costner is currently starring and directing in Horizon, the multi-part feature western film, which is set in the pre and post-American Civil War depicting the expansion of the American West. The success of Horizon will likely add to the actor’s growing net worth.
You can watch Yellowstone, 1883, and 1932 on the Paramount Network, which is available to stream on services including Fubo TV, Philo TV, and Hulu+ With Live TV. The first four seasons of Yellowstone are also available to stream on Peacock.