Is Kevin Costner leaving Yellowstone?

Yes, Kevin Costner is leaving Yellowstone after its fifth season. Fans of the neo-Western drama called Yellowstone were already heartbroken over the fact that the flagship show is coming to an end with its season five. To add to this, reports and speculations regarding Kevin Costner's exit are looming around the show. On May 5, 2023, it was announced that Yellowstone was wrapping up after the release of its fifth season. Just a while later, reports on Kevin Costner's exit began making headlines, leaving many tensed.

Yellowstone is an American neo-Western drama that revolves around the Dutton family who own one of the largest ranches in Montana, the Yellowstone Dutton Ranch, and their conflict with others encroaching on their land. John Dutton III and his family must protect their land which borders a growing town, an Indian reservation, and Yellowstone National Park. The show is created by Taylor Sheridan and John Lenson and the first season was released back in June 2018.

Why is Kevin Costner leaving Yellowstone?

Actor Kevin Costner has yet to explain his sudden decision of leaving the show right during the final season. In May 2023, Deadline revealed that Yellowstone was wrapping up after its fifth season and that a sequel of the show had been greenlit. The fifth season of the show has been divided into two parts. The first part was released on November 12, 2022, and ended on January 1, 2023.

The first part ended with a significant cliffhanger, leaving the fans of the series wanting to know what happens ahead. However, it looks like the fans will have to wait a bit longer as the makers are still dealing with Costner's decision to leave the show mid-way. According to Entertainment Tonight, sources close to the Yellowstone production believe that the American actor might not return even for the show's finale six episodes.

Talking about the reason behind this, some reports claim that this is due to Costner and the show's creator Sheridan off-screen. feud. However, there has been no confirmation on the same to this date.

Is Kevin Costner's busy schedule the reason behind his exit?

Probably. For the unversed, Kevin Costner has a lot on his plate at the moment. The actor is set to be the co-writer, producer, director, and star in the upcoming film titled, Horizon: An Americans Saga. Based on this, some reports claim this is another reason for Yellowstone's season 5 part-2 delay.

Once again, there has been no confirmation of the same by the actor himself. Hence, there is no sure answer on why Kevin Costner won't return to shoot the finale episodes of Yellowstone. The fans would, unfortunately, have to wait for the actor or the makers of the show to officially announce something soon regarding the same.

Will there be a spin-off of Yellowstone?

There are five prequels of Yellowstone. Those are -

1883: A Yellowstone Origin Story aired from 2021 to 2022. The second prequel was 1923: A Yellowstone Origin Story which began airing in 2022 and is currently ongoing. The subsequent three prequels are Lawmen: Bass Reeves, 6666, and 1944. The announcement of the third prequel of Yellowstone was made back in May 2022, while the information on the fourth and fifth prequels was done in 2023.

To add to the list of spin-offs, the makers of Yellowstone announced that an untitled sequel series is in development with actor Matthew McConaughey in talks to star in the leading role.