Production has started on the final episodes of the fifth and final season of Taylor Sheridan’s Yellowstone. The series has been on hiatus since January 2023, and during that time there’s been a lot of behind-the-scenes drama.

As you know, there was a big contract dispute, which eventually led to Kevin Costner being let go from the series, and while reports have placed the blame on Costner, the actor has a very different story of what happened and he called the producers and reporting on the behind the scenes drama “untruthful.”

Costner recently set the record straight and wanted to return for the final episodes of the season, but right now, as Season 5 begins shooting, he’s at The Cannes Film Festival premiering his Western Horizon: An American Saga.

He is also currently working on his third Horizon movie and said at a press conference that he is heading back to continue working on the film after he’s done at Cannes. So, it’s not sounding like he will be back to reprise his role as John Dutton, which is a shame.

Costner recently said of Yellowstone, “I think that they should do whatever they want to do. Am I open to coming back? I’ve never been in a position to tell them what to do. I can only do what I can do. He also noted he has not seen any scripts for the final and added, “I’m not involved in any of that stuff.”

The actor previously said that he was trying to firm up plans for his return, and talked about his hope for coming back saying: “I’d like to be able to do it but we haven’t been able to.”

He continued: “I thought I was going to make seven [seasons] but right now we’re at five. So how it works out — I hope it does — but they’ve got a lot of different shows going on. Maybe it will. Maybe this will circle back to me. If it does and I feel really comfortable with [it], I’d love to do it.”

Yellowstone chronicles the Dutton family who controls the largest contiguous cattle ranch in the United States. Amid shifting alliances, unsolved murders, open wounds, and hard-earned respect – the ranch is in constant conflict with those it borders – an expanding town, an Indian reservation, and America’s first national park.  

Yellowstone series actor Ian Bohen said the end of the show will deliver the “best finale in history.” I hope that’s true, but I don’t see how that’s going to be possible without Costner’s involvement. We’ll just have to wait and see!

Do you think that they will really end this series without Costner? Do you think there’s a chance he will return?

Source: Deadline