Posted in: Paramount+, Preview, streaming, TV | Tagged: kevin costner, paramount, paramount network, taylor sheridan, yellowstone

Yellowstone: Kevin Costner Confirms Not Returning for Final Episodes

In a video shared on social media, Kevin Costner confirmed that he won't be returning to Taylor Sheridan and John Linson's Yellowstone.

After months of rumors, speculation, and finger-pointing between the production and series lead Kevin Costner that left viewers wondering if they had seen the last of John Dutton, Paramount Network made it official earlier today. On Sunday, November 10th, Taylor Sheridan and John Linson's Yellowstone will return for its remaining Season 5 episodes – which will also serve to wrap up the hit series. But what about series lead Kevin Costner? That other shoe dropped on Thursday night, with the actor and filmmaker taking to social media to confirm that he is not returning for the final run.

With a caption that read, "An update for you guys. I'll see you at the movies," Costner shared, "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 five B or into the future." Costner continued, "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." Here's a look at Costner's post from late on Thursday:

Yellowstone: Kevin Costner Offered His Perspective

During a recent interview for GQ's Summer Issue in support of his film Horizon: An American Saga, Costner pointed at the Paramount Network series' in-flux production schedule as the reason he wasn't available – with Costner noting that the constant changes conflicted with his ability to produce his film. "We very rarely started when we said we would, and we didn't finish when we said we would," Costner shared, also including the pandemic and SAG-AFTRA/WGA strikes as reasons for the delays. "And I was OK with that. I really was. I was OK with it, but it wasn't a trend that could continue for me," he noted – adding later in the interview that he even offered to come in "a week before I start" filming "Horizon" to film a death scene if that was the route Sheridan and the others were going.

"The scripts never came. They still haven't shot it, as far as I know. The scripts never came. And so then, at one point, they said to me that we don't have an ending or anything," Costner shared with GQ. I said, 'Well if you want to kill me if you want to do something like that,' I said, 'I have a week before I start. I'll do what you want to do,'" he added. For their part, Paramount Network took issue with Costner's accounting of events – releasing a statement to GQ: "Kevin has been a big part of 'Yellowstone's' success. While we had hoped that we would continue working with him, unfortunately, we could not find a window that worked for him, all the other talent and our production needs in order to move forward together. We respect that Kevin has prioritized his new film series, and we wish him the best."

Produced by MTV Entertainment Studios and 101 Studios and distributed by Paramount Global Content Distribution, Paramount Network's Yellowstone is executive-produced by Sheridan, Linson, Costner, Art Linson, David C. Glasser, Bob Yari, Stephen Kay, Michael Friedman, Christina Voros, and Keith Cox.

Enjoyed this? Please share on social media!

Stay up-to-date and support the site by following Bleeding Cool on Google News today!