Seems like almost everyone has an opinion onYellowstone’s concluding episode, but what we’re really wondering is what doesKevin Costnerthink? Well, now we know… kind of. The Academy Award-winning Costner, who starred in the series as family patriarch John Dutton for much of its run, did not return for the concluding episodes. Costner famously exited the neo-Western earlier this year, citing scheduling conflicts while working on his passion project, the four-part epicHorizon: An American Saga. There were also talks of a rift between Costner and series co-creator Taylor Sheridan.
Given that information about his departure - and his previous comments that he had not seen the episode where his character is killed off - we shouldn’t be surprised that Costner is not too interested in keeping up withYellowstone. In a video shared by theDaily Mail, Costner is asked about the series finale, and responds:
“I’m not thinking about that. I don’t think I’ve given it any thoughts. We’ll just let it go.”
Costner also addressed his relationship withYellowstoneco-star Luke Grimes, who portrayed his character’s son, Kayce Dutton. Earlier this month, Grimes said that filming Part 2 of Season 5 “was actually the easiest season” to film, and thatwithout Costner on-set “some of the conflict was gone.“When asked if he had spoken with Grimes, Costner shared:
“We’re done talking.”
The Future of ‘Yellowstone’ is Murky
TheYellowstonefinale, “Life is a Promise,” aired on December 15. Despite getting slammed by fans online, it pulled in high viewership numbers, making it the most-watched episode in the show’s history. The divisive series finale saw Kayce selling the ranch to High Chief Thomas Rainwater and Beth Dutton (Kelly Reilly) avenging her father’s death. AYellowstonespin-off has already been confirmed, so while audiences are saying goodbye to the Yellowstone Dutton Ranch, we don’t have to bid farewell to fan favorites Beth and Rip (Cole Hauser) just yet. Currently, Reilly, Hauser, and Sheridan are the only names attached to the project, but there’s certainly room for moreYellowstonecastmates to join the unnamed series.
Sorry, but This Isn’t the ‘Yellowstone’ Ending I Wanted to See
‘Yellowstone’ once stood out as a bastion of unapologetic authenticity. Now, it seems like a cruel joke played on the same fans who loved it most.
While there may be some resentment towards Sheridan and the way John’s death unfolded,Yellowstonelovers will likely want to see more of Beth and Rip. Their enduring and passionate relationship, and the characters' continued popularity ensure a dedicated audience that will likely tune in to see how their story continues. And while John’s death was undoubtedly a blow for much ofYellowstone’s fan base, Grimes previously noted that the Dutton patriarchwas never intended to live out the series.
“It was always the plan for him to have to go away for the story to really ramp up, and that was the story. You lose a patriarch of the family. Can the kids do it on their own? […] I think originally he was supposed to die much earlier. So, in a way, they got way more of John Dutton than they were going to originally get,” Grimes previously shared.
The first installment of Costner’sHorizon: An American Sagais currently streaming on Max. Costner serves as director, co-writer, producer, and stars in the project.Yellowstoneis available to stream on Peacock.
Yellowstone
Yellowstone stars Kevin Costner and centers on his character John Dutton. Dutton and his family live on a cattle ranch just a few hours away from Yellowstone National Park. The series chronicles the family’s struggle to defend their home from an Indian reservation and land developers. As if their life wasn’t complicated enough, the Duttons also have medical issues, political aspirations, and family secrets stacked against them.
