Over the last few years, Yellowstone has become one of TV’s biggest sensations, winning over millions of fans with its modern Western drama. The series, created by Taylor Sheridan and led by Kevin Costner, first aired in 2018 and has only grown more intense with each season. At its heart, Yellowstone is all about the Dutton family, who control the largest cattle ranch in the U.S., a property bordering both the Broken Rock Indian Reservation and Yellowstone National Park.
Now, the series is back for part two of its fifth and final season, which launched on November 10 with an episode that pulled no punches. Spoiler alert: It featured the shocking death of John Dutton, Costner’s character. But Costner himself? Not exactly rushing to tune in.
“I didn’t see it,” he admitted during a live town hall on The Michael Smerconish Program on SiriusXM. “I heard it’s a suicide, so that doesn’t make me want to rush to go see it.”
When Smerconish suggested that John Dutton didn’t exactly seem like “the suicide kind of guy,” Costner replied, “Well, they’re pretty smart people. Maybe it’s a red herring. Who knows? They’re very good. And they’ll figure that out.”
Unfortunately for fans, Yellowstone is set to wrap up for good after this season’s final six episodes air. The nearly two-year-long wait between Season five’s first and second parts wasn’t just about creative timing—it was reportedly tied to behind-the-scenes issues, particularly with Costner’s schedule (He also was working on the film Horizon: An American Saga, which premiered September). He recently shed light on the scheduling issues, confirming that he tried to work things out despite complex contracts.
“I didn’t really have to leave anything behind,” Costner explained, adding that there were “contractual things that would allow for both things to be done.” He tried to adjust, explaining, “I didn’t leave. I didn’t quit the show. Okay? I had made a contract to do all three.
However, after accommodating the first two contract changes, the studio made another request, and Costner says he had to draw the line, especially as he had other projects waiting for him. “Everyone has to live up to what they say they’re going to do,” he said. “And it doesn’t matter what business you’re in.”
Even as fans prepare to say goodbye to Yellowstone, there’s no doubt this saga has left a lasting mark on television—and it sounds like Costner’s John Dutton may have a few more surprises left for us yet or at least a potential spinoff, only time will tell. And, in the meantime, the Yellowstone universe will live on with prequel shows like 1883 and 1923.
